Behind the Palace Walls
by Free Thought
Summary: A series of short tales as a companion piece to "The Red Prince- Book Two of The Warriors' Trilogy." Similar to "The Journey Home" for "The Sword and his Flowers," this work will comprise of short tales, one-shots and deleted chapters/scenes for the second story in the trilogy. Pre-Redwall tales.
1. The Spoiled Princess

**Well, I've gone and done it again... falling in love with my minor characters that don't get a chance at the big show. Though they have every small, albeit influential parts in _The Red Prince_, I found them quite compelling and thought you all might as well. **

**This collection of short works will be similar to what I did in _The Journey Home_ (companion piece to _The Sword and his Flowers_), but won't necessarily be 'whole' tales; just snippets of events and reasonings on how things/characters happened the way they did. I'll post chapters as things come to me throughout the story that I think needs further explanations, but didn't make it past the editing cut. You know what I mean.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything (characters/places/events) referenced from the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. All rights regarding those, belong to him. Everything else is mine. :P**

**So without further adieu... segment number one...**

* * *

**The Spoiled Princess**

_"__We have to be more royal than royalty itself or nobody will believe us."  
_- Philippa Gregory, _The White Queen _-

* * *

I was Princess Dalila of Eutrusia, daughter of the late King Matteus and Queen Sibylla, Dowager Lady of Naesbrey Manor in Wesrus, and older sister to the current king, Matthias. I would later take other titles; first as Lady of Ruarden Manor, then as Baroness of Eurus. But that is all part of my story.

I was fourteen seasons old when I had been married off to the aging Lord Aarod and carted away to Wesrus where I lived with him at Naesbrey Manor in the shadow of his brother's baronial castle of Arvendon. There I stayed for the next ten excruciating seasons until, thank the Fates, my husband died and I could return to Aurelius and take up residence in Vasilis again. My lord's nephew was all too happy to have the lordship back under his command so he had something to give his fourth son besides a disgraceful mention as a Syr, so I was promptly _helped_ to pack my personal effects and sent back to my family's seat.

The last time I had been to Vasilis was when I accompanied my lord to the presentation of my brother's future Etifeddes when I was seventeen seasons old. At the time I was met with many reproaching eyes and murmurs as to why I was there, I should have been carrying by then, why was my stomach still flat and other such gossipy whispers. Many maids would have blushed, perhaps moved closer to their husbands or even bowed their heads slightly, but I was my mother's daughter and a princess; I held my head higher and eagerly awaited my father's ruling on which young lady would soon have the honour of my dear brother's paw. Aarod had told me it was likely to be Baron Neron's daughter Ulyssa, or perhaps even Syr Idris' daughter, Lady Cailin. I had no idea who it would be, so I just waited. And waited. And waited.

Once the council had adjourned, Aarod tried to get the maiden's name out of his elder brother Edwen, but the baron simply said it would be revealed by the king and we would not believe his decision. With that I left the Grand Gallery and walked to the royal presence chambers to enquire after an audience with my mother; an audience which was quickly denied on the excuse she had to prepare for the announcement, eight bells away. So, again instead of sulking, I made my way to the northern towers of the palace which housed the Eutrusian Library and Archives, dismissing my pawmaids at the door and entering into the quiet peace holds of adventure, treasure and romance. I loved literature. I loved my family's exciting heritage; I loved history, plays, poems and questly sonnets. Anything I could read I had and despite all the cut out figures we seemed to play in the grand illusion we called nobility, I was able to turn pages to a different time when heroes wielded great swords and rescued fair ladies in distress. I may not have had anything _romantic_ about my life up until then, but I could read and dream about what it was like in those ancient tales of dusty tomes. It seemed, however, I was not the only one with the idea that afternoon.

"Princess… princess… oh, a fair lady, that would have done! ... Princess, princess…" the mutterings were only spaced by the thumping sound of volumes being tossed on the floor. I rounded the corner to see my royal brother, halfway up a ladder, taking book after book from the shelves, flipping through pages and muttering, then tossing it over his shoulder onto the floor so he could move on to the next scroll or text. I had to bite my paw to stop my laughter.

"Ahh!" he growled and batted away an entire row of works. "All princesses!" he seethed. "Not a single mention of a common maid anywhere… does he know nothing?"

My ears pricked at the words and laughter dropped out of my sense of emotion. "Common maid?" I blurted out.

He wheeled around at me and narrowed his eyes angrily at my intrusion, or maybe the fact I hadn't made my presence known, but after a moment, Matthias sighed and descended the rungs to stand solidly on the floor.

"You heard me?"

I didn't answer the obvious.

"Can you believe it?" he started and begun pacing as he picked up the discarded tomes. "Me- _the Etifedd of Eutrusia_- set to marry a _commoner!"_

"What?" I gasped. What was my brother talking about? He wasn't going to marry a commoner. He was a prince. A prince that would one day be a king. Kings did not have peasants for their queens.

"Lila, don't make me repeat it," Matthias grumbled and placed a stack on the table.

"Father's jesting," I scoffed.

"I saw the papyrus myself. It's not a joke."

"Who is it?"

"Valina- you remember her? Martin and Branlin's daughter."

"The one with the black headfur?" I chuckled knowing his preference for lighter versions. He just glared at me. "Alright, I'm sorry, Matthias. Yes, I remember her. She was… polite."

"Yes, and _common!_" he spat out and waved a book at me. "Stop laughing!"

"I'm not, it's just…" I couldn't help myself. It was absurd. Edwen was right; no beast was going to believe it. I burst into hysterics.

"I am a prince," he snipped to himself and continued in his clean-up. "I am the heir to the crown of Eutrusia- I know every courtly dance, every great courtesy; I can read five different languages and speak six. I can command a ship, fight in an army, grace a village… and she can what? Wash her own clothes?"

"Perhaps she makes a lovely leek and chestnut stew," I chortled.

"Dalila, that's not helping," he said quietly and at once I stopped my banter at his serious tone. "This isn't a joke- this is my life. This is the maid who will bear my children, our kingdom's future king. How can it be a simple maid? All formality aside, what are we to converse about? How are we to live together when there is nothing collective between us? How am I to be happy when the very idea of what she is makes my blood boil?"

"You're asking the wrong creature, Matthias," I exhaled and sat down on the bench where he had taken a seat. Scooting over to him, I laid a paw on his knee and used my other to turn his worried face to mine. "Just get through it day by day, I suppose. Same as I do. You really don't see much of each other through the day and at night, well, you can be quick and then go to sleep."

He chuckled at my mention of being quick and then by the grace of the Seasons, gave me a little smile.

"It's only marriage," I whispered to him. "You know, you _are_ going to be a king. You can take a mistress if you like once you sire an Etifedd. I'm sure Valina will turn a blind eye. She'll just be thankful she is a queen."

"Turn a blind eye," he restated and shook his head. "Is that what you do with Aarod? With his… liaisons?"

I shuddered. "Yes. It's the only thing I can do until I give him what he needs. Once I have a mouseling, then I will have a paw to stand up against him; until then, I have nothing."

"You have Father. Surely he can order him to stop…"

"The king with four secret rooms about the palace where he stores his private harlots?" I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Great Seasons, Matthias- do you think Father cares about Aarod's odd debauchery?"

My brother was quiet. "I suppose not," he finally said with a shrug and rubbed his face with his paws before looking down at my stomach.

"Nothing?" he asked me. He didn't need to say any more than that one word.

"No," I replied. I didn't need more than one either.

"Well, aren't we a sorry crop," he sighed. "Laera dies from childbed fever, you're struggling to conceive and I'm going to marry a commoner. Seasons have certainly praised our house with virtue!"

"I'm not struggling," I said quickly. "It's just taking me time to… Aarod's private healer believes my body is late developing, that's all. He is confident that I will, you know, have a mouseling."

"And what do you think?"

It was my turn to be quiet. Looking back I think I always knew the truth, but didn't want to admit it to myself.

In our silence, my brother rose to his footpaws. "If this is Father's wish I will obey him as a son and subject should," he stated in his normal regal manner, "And I will try to make it a pleasant union for both mine and Valina's sake."

I didn't respond to him as he walked out of the library and closed the door quietly behind him, leaving me all alone with my thoughts and stories. With a sigh, I rose and walked over to a book stack before carefully selecting a thin text from its place and returning to a lounge set up by the large bay windows looking north over the tilt grounds and palace village. Turning the book over, I glanced at the title, _The Seamstress's Love_ by Yolori the Bard, before opening the work to the final page, as was my way whenever I read anything…

'_… __And the prince picked her up in his arms and held her to his chest in an eternal embrace of love before she wrapped her paws around his neck and kissed him, never to let him go. The End.'_

_Good_, I thought to myself, _it didn't end with a birth of a babe._ And wiggling down further in the cushions, I turned the book back over and begun reading it from the beginning until I fell fast asleep, only to be awakened by the cheering from the Great Gallery, eight bells later.

* * *

I still had the book in my possession ten seasons later as I nobly sat down on the settle in my old room in the palace as my pawmaids continued to unpack my trunks and baskets. I watched them carefully from my seat, giving instruction when needed and snipping corrections at them when they were in error. It took them only two bells to finish their task and by the end of it I was thoroughly exhausted. I dismissed them to outside my chamber door so I could have some privacy and went to my sideboard where I had commanded them to place my volumes. I was just picking out a story to read when there was a knock at the door and my brother Matthias strode into the room.

I gave him a small smile and dipped into a low curtsy due to a king. "Your Majesty," I said formally and bobbed up from my drop. "My lord brother."

"Are you alright, Dalila?" he questioned pointedly and looked at me with that worried look a father would give a daughter who scrapped her knee. Or so I had seen fathers give.

"I'm fine, Matthias," I replied and tilted my head in acknowledgement of his concern. "Aarod passed quickly and well… I'm happy to be back in Vasilis."

"I'm glad to hear the lord did not suffer overmuch. And I am very happy you are home."

"And how long am I to be home," I questioned immediately. "Do you already have another marriage for me lined up?"

Matthias had mastered at a young age to hold in a grimace, but I knew his one slip. His nose always twitched to the right.

"As of yet, I have not received an inquiry after your paw."

"I see," I said plainly, determined to hold in my disappointed sigh.

"They are just giving you time to mourn," my brother put in. "It's only been barely half a season…"

"I fear word of my… condition, may delay any marriage proposals for me," I replied boldly, saying the words he would not. "Not many lords want a barren widow as a wife, princess or not."

"Dalila, don't talk like that," Matthias huffed. He never wanted to attempt our family had any shortcomings. Walking up to me he took my paws in his and frowned at their slenderness. "What is this, Lila? Why are you so thin?"

"I'm mourning, remember. I suppose I haven't had much of an appetite."

"Well, let's get you out of mourning," he said excitedly and squeezed my paws. "You have to come meet your nephew. I want you to meet my son, Martin."

"Yes," I said with a small smile. Seeing my little nephew for the first time was the one thing I was thrilled about. Regardless of his apprehensions to the marriage, it was clear by all the letters and messenger's accounts (not to mention the idiotic grin on his face) that my brother had turned quite enthusiastic about his commoner wife and it was widely whispered he was actually in love. Great Seasons, he suppressed a rebellion for her _and_ got her with child immediately following their wedding. Prince Martin had been born two seasons, almost to the very day, after Matthias' wedding (which I could not attend due to an illness) and I read in a letter from my mother that the midwives believed Valina had conceived on their wedding night. Always she was careful to affirm my brother's fecundity as was… what was the word my mother always used? - Ah, yes, as was _renowned_ with both sides of my lineage.

"Come now, then," Matthias laughed and pulled my paw, leading me towards the door like we were five seasons old again. "I know you're tired from your journey, but I want you to see him."

We walked through the corridors of the palace together and I relished in the respect the servants showed me. Each of them curtsied or bowed, muttering our titles, but most importantly, as I walked away, none of them whispered behind my back. When we reached the top of the stairs I heard a loud bolt of laughter and started.

"What was that?" I snorted out in a most unlady-like response, but I was completely taken back at the sound.

"That," Matthias laughed and pointed to the large double doors of the nursery. "Would be Martin."

I entered the royal nursery with my brother and instantly locked my gaze on a sturdy mouselet barely three seasons old, waddling about the room unaided with a large grin on his face as he held a little boat in his paws.

"Oh no, you don't!" she laughed and scooped the little prince in her arms, placing quickened kisses on his cheeks to make him giggle and squeal in delight. "That's my ship!"

"Mawree, Mawree!" the little one yelled and held the ship up to her. "Mama- it Mawree!"

"Yes, its _Mawredd_!" she gasped and placed the prince back down on his footpaws again to toddle away from her. She gave a visible sigh and wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her paw like a baker. I gave a little sneer of distaste. Had she not been wearing a rich brocade or a simple series of sapphires, I would have assumed she was a nursemaid. My brother didn't seem bothered by her lack of decorum at all and actually _chuckle and smiled_ at her when she turned around to us.

"Matthias! Dalila!" she exclaimed and beamed at us with a broad smile. "Martin- come here quickly, your Auntie Lila is here!"

_Auntie Lila?_ I knew I didn't say the words out loud because my jaw was clenched, but somehow, my brother knew what I was thinking.

"We thought it would be easier for him to say," Matthias explained as his wife rounded up the giggling mouselet and herded him in our direction. "My Lady Aunt Dalila is still too much of a mouthful for him!"

"Auntie Lila! Auntie Lila!" the mouselet cheered stepped out towards me, still holding his little toy. Regardless of my distaste for being called _Auntie Lila_, I was amazed at Martin's height and strength as he toddled towards me. Most mouselets I had ever been around didn't truly start walking until the end of their third season and speech usually started to properly form around the same time, though here was the young princeling; walking with toddler ease and speaking in two-three word sentences- it was rather remarkable.

"Auntie Lila!" he cried again and wrapped his chubby arms around my legs and hugged my dress skirts. "Da- Auntie Lila 'ome!"

"Yes, Marty, your aunt's home!" Matthias boomed and picked up his son, cradling him in his arms and tickling his belly.

"How did he know who I was?" I questioned Matthias directly before he put his son down and pointed him towards he toys. "Prince Martin came up to me like he knew exactly who I was…"

"Because he does!" my brother scoffed and pointed to a small portrait of me on the mantel. "Valina's been showing him your picture for weeks to prepare him for your arrival. He just mastered your name three days ago."

My gaze shifted from my nephew to the mantel and then to the queen standing quietly in the center of the nursery. She wasn't meaning to be presumptuous, but waiting until my brother and I were done talking before interrupting; but still, it was more formal for her to make her presence known, not just hang back like a wallflower. Inwardly sighing, I made the right and astute address.

"Seasons greet you well, Your Majesty," I said to her and dipped into a deep curtsy. By the time I had risen she was standing in front of me with that large smile of hers. The same one my nephew had.

"Dalila, please call me Valina- we're family now!" she laughed and clasped my paws in a friendly manner. "There's no need to be so formal when we are in our private chambers."

"This is a nursery, not a private chamber," I corrected her gently and nodded to the nursemaids playing with Prince Martin on the floor to further my point. Slowly, she let go of my paws and folded them properly in front of her. At least my mother's hard lessons of decorum did not go completely to waste.

"I think what Valina was trying to say is that she's happy you're here," my brother chuckled and gave me a nudge on the shoulder as if to say, _loosen up._

"Of course," Valina added and gave me a more gentile smile befitting a queen. "And I would ask that you call me Valina when we are in private."

"As you wish, Majesty," I replied with the grace of my breeding. She let out a breath that she had been holding in (probably waiting for me to exchange such courtesies with her) and rested her paws on her belly. I couldn't help follow the motion and clenched my teeth in bitter distain at the slight curve to her stomach. She was carrying. Again.

I don't why I was surprised, but I was. Sure, I knew that my brother had to bed her and get an heir, but they had already produced one. They already produced an Etifedd right out of the gate; he didn't need to lower himself any longer to lay with a commoner. Yet there it was- proof that he was still enjoying her. And to have conceived again after… but I guess common beasts breed fast.

"You're doing too much again," Matthias chided her. "Valina, you need to relax."

"I will later," the queen huffed at him and rolled her eyes. Rolled her eyes at a king and husband! It was all I could do not to gape at them both, especially when I watched him kiss her forehead and she gently smiled at him as he laid a paw on her stomach and kissed her again- this time on the lips right in front of me, the servants, their own son… I couldn't believe my brother was being so affectionate. He was always so reserved before, so proper. He would have never, never done anything like that when we were younger. I never thought of him capable of such expression; such expression with a mousemaid which seasons before he was against marrying.

And the way he was with my little nephew? It sent my head spinning when he picked him up and wheeled him around in a circle to make him giggle and laugh before placing him back down to dizzily toddle on his footpaws for a couple steps before falling on his tail. Most mice would have sat and cried at their failure to walk straight, but Martin laughed and held up his little paws to Matthias and shouted, "'gain, Da! 'gain!"

Da? What sort of name was that anyway? He should be calling my brother his lord father, not _Da_ like he was some, some… common beast and not the king that he was. It was her influence that was doing this; watering down our family. I had to get out of there before I screamed…

"At what bell are you taking the evening meal in the Feasting Hall?" I asked plainly, breaking up the family's little reverie and initiating my own exit.

"We thought you might prefer a private meal," my brother said as he picked up Martin and hugged him to his chest. "I've ordered our meals to be served in the presence chamber with only a few lords that are at court."

"I see," I said suspiciously. It was customary for a returning royal to have a feast and I got… private meal. How lovely.

"We've asked the cooks to prepare your favourites!" the queen said cheerfully and went to take my paw again, but thought better of it. "There's to be lobster stew, peppered shrimp, oysters, fresh peaches and cherries from Wesrus…"

"I no longer eat seafare," I said in an even tone. The smile instantly dropped from her face and she glanced up quickly at my brother, not really knowing how to respond. He just frowned at me.

"Since when?" he pressed and put the bouncing Martin back down on his footpaws. "You always ate it before…"

"Since I ate a chowder that had soured," I replied with an unregal shrug. It was wrong of me to shrug my shoulders, but I just wanted out of there. Besides, if a prince could call a king Da and a commoner, crowned or not, could grasp at a royal beasts paws, what was a fieldpaw's shrug? "It was hard to get a fresh catch in the middle of Eutrusia, my lord brother. I fear I have quite lost my appetite for it."

"Is there something else you would like?" Valina said quickly and waved forward a pawmaid in anticipation that she would take my new order to the kitchens directly. "We can ask the cooks to prepare something else…"

There she went using that word, _ask_ again. Queens did not ask for anything. They commanded.

"I will be quite fine with whatever meal my lord brother can provide me with," I said plainly. "I prefer to eat vegetation food, such as leeks and turnips; things that cannot readily spoil as fish and crustaceans can. I will sup with you in your presence chamber, but I will be most obliged if you would instruct the servants to provide me with only breads when it is a seafare. I do not want to slight you for turning my plate away."

"Dalila," Matthias said in a low tone. I could tell by his features, he did not like my expressions to his wife.

"If Your Majesties would excuse me," I chirped before he could say anymore. "I am very tired and must rest."

I waited until Matthias gave me the barest of nods, before dipping a curtsy and turning to make my exit from the nursery. The footbeasts opened the door and just as I walked through it, I heard her voice _whine_ to my brother.

"Did I do something wrong?"

* * *

I wasn't surprised when, a bell later, there was a knock on my chamber door; completely disturbing what was promising to be a fitful slumber. I gestured to the pawmaid fanning me against the southern heat to answer the door and was just sitting up on my bed when my brother opened the door _himself_ and walked into the room. With a quick wave of his wrist, a kingly action that made me smile, he dismissed my three servants from the room.

"My lord brother," I started, standing from my bed and bowing my head in respect. "I did not expect you here…"

"Stop with the formality, Lila," he said coldly and _pointed_ a paw at me. "You slighted Valina up there in the nursery when all she was trying to do was make you feel welcome."

"I did not _slight_ her, Matthias," I scoffed and went to my table for refreshment. "I was formal. As royalty _should be_."

"We're family- there's no need to act _formal_, as you put it," he snipped back at me. "It was just us…"

"And servants," I reminded him. "Servants that should not see the informal dealings of a royal family."

"Dalila, get out of your tower," he practically growled at me. "What do you have against Valina? Can't you see how happy we are?"

"She's changed you," I said plainly. "You're so _casual_ around her, around your son. How is the prince to grow up to use decorum if he does not see it in his parents? How is the kingdom to view our family who laugh and smile like simpletons? Even if it is only done in front of one or two servants, brother, who is to stop them from spreading gossip of how things are done?"

"'Hellsgates, Dalila, I show enough _decorum_ through one day to last most beasts a lifetime!" Matthias argued with me. "When it is just Valina, Martin and I we act as any other family does- with honesty and love."

"Our family did not act like that, Matthias."

"We were not any other family."

"No," I said with the cunning ploy of my father Matteus that had just sprung a trap. "We were _royalty."_

Matthias opened his mouth to retort something at me, but stopped himself. Never did he truly let anger or frustration rule his tongue.

"Dalila, you are my sister," he started in a low whisper. "And you are the only of my old family I have left, but if you cannot respect the way Valina, Martin and I are here, well, I will have to ask you to leave."

"You would throw me out?" I gaped at him. "You would cast aside your own sister for a commo-"

"Don't finish that sentence," he interrupted me and gave me a stare that sent a chill down my spine. "You forget, Dalila, I placed the heads of four nobles on pikes and laid low countless creatures on the plains of Eurus for voicing that opinion. I do not suggest you tempt me with a fifth."

At his threat I was silent. It wasn't that I was afraid of dying; I just was not going to die over her.

"Valina is my wife and queen," my brother continued. "She has won the heart of almost every beast in Eutrusia save a pawful I need not mention. She is true to her charities, fair to our servants and keeps me happy at _both_ bed _and _board. She has already done her duty as queen and given me a strong son in Martin and, in another season, she will give me another. Out of brotherly love for me I implore you to give her a chance and if nothing else, as your king, I command you to respect her. Is that understood?"

"Yes, brother," I replied coldly. "So this is why you came here?" I pressed him, "To scold me like a naughty mouselet?"

"No," he said and shook his head. "I came to ask you why you are being so cold."

"Cold?"

"All Valina wants is to make you feel at home," my brother continued. "Do you know she and Martin are down in the Feasting Hall right now _reorganizing_ an _entire_ dinner for you? We had this private meal planned for weeks- the menu, the setting- everything and now she is ordering all the dishes sent to an orphanage so they are not wasted and the cooks are scrambling to come up with enough _vegetation food_ as you call it to serve a _formal_ eight course meal!"

I was quiet. I didn't know what to say. "You all could still eat the seafare, I just choose not to."

"Oh, and that would have been a fine display for the lords, wouldn't it? Me giving my one sister a scone and beaker of water for a meal when she is already a bone rack?"

I flushed at his comment. It pained me to admit a flaw in my way of thinking, but it wouldn't look right for such a thing to occur.

"Well, I thank-you for your change of plans," I stumbled out as I tried to cover up my speechlessness with formality. "Though, surely the queen and young prince need not be in the hall when they should be resting. Matthias, the servants can handle organizing a meal."

"They are helping," Matthias said pointedly. "Valina is making sure everything is perfect for you. She oversees _every_ detail to _everything_ personally."

"Why?"

"Because then she has nothing to complain about!" he shouted at me, angry at my earnest ignorance. "She is not like Mother who would be the first to point out an error or Father when he would make the servants heads spin trying to anticipate his next want. Valina commands this castle the way Captain Martin used to command the Guard- every beast knew their position and what was expected of them. But she does it with all the kindness and grace that her mother used to have. Do you not remember Dame Branlin? Do you not remember her wiping split milk off your gown when your own servant split your cup while filling it, because I do! Mother was too busy snipping at the pawmaid's uselessness and Father ordering her away while Branlin knelt before you, wiped your gown and told you not to cry over spilt milk? Do you not remember that?"

"Yes," I said quietly. I did remember Dame Branlin and well. She was my favourite of Mother's pawmaids. She always had a kind word, always smiling. Like Valina was to me only an hour ago. "After that, she saw to the setting of the tables personally so that something like that never happened again."

"Exactly," Matthias replied.

"Matthias," I started in a small voice, not timid, just low in volume. "Why are you so angry with me? I have been formal with the queen, but I have done it mainly out of respect of her station above me."

"Because of all the beasts in Eutrusia, I thought you would understand," he sighed and kept a level tone. "You read all the tales I did, recited all the poems. I thought you would be able to see it. I suppose it wasn't as obvious as I thought it was."

"And what's that, brother?"

"Love."

"You're still starstruck," I chuckled at him and smiled when he grinned at me like he used to when I teased him. "You're just living in the knights' tales we used to read."

"Maybe I am," my brother chortled. "But I don't care. I have my beautiful lady. You'll understand one day when you meet your brave knight."

"Ha, my brave knight," I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Matthias, there are no such things in real life."

"Don't be so sure," he laughed and motioned to the sun lowering towards the sea outside my balcony. "Reissuing the menu will push the meal back to the eighth bell. Let's just hope Martin can keep his little eyes open until then!"

* * *

I was utterly amazed when I entered the Feasting Hall to a bower of flowers and freshly pressed table linens. The entire hall was decorated to something, I must say with pride, befitting of a princess. Matthias was right, there were only a pawful of nobles at court, so most of the tables had been pushed to the side, but for a couple of them which were arranged before the dais.

The heralds announced my entrance and every noble stood, except for my brother and his queen, and to my surprise, my little nephew toddled towards me from his seat and performed a quick bow.

"Mi La-hey Aunt," he said attempted to say formally and held up his right arm only to thrust it down at his side and raise his left in self-correction. I couldn't help but smile at him and laid a gentle paw on his chubby arm for him to escort me to my place on the dais. Dutifully, he stood beside me while they pushed in my chair and I could see out of the corner of my eye, his mother motioning for him to wait. I nodded to him when I was comfortable and he smiled his dashing grin before moving to his chair beside my brother.

"D'cha see me, Da?" I heard him whisper. "D'cha see?"

"Yes, Martin," my brother chuckled and patted the chair to get the toddler to sit. "Very good, son."

The first two courses were exquisite, the vegetables crisp and the seasonings perfectly balanced. I even made a point of commenting so to the queen, and though I was thoroughly enjoying the meal I noticed her to be picking at hers. At first I thought she was being fastidious, but then she excused herself a couple of times from the table under the guise of discussing things with the cook, or addressing a pressing issue she forgot about, but each time she returned more pale and her eyes more dull. After the fourth, Martin was curled up asleep on his chair and by the sixth course the queen had excused herself four times.

"Matthias, what is wrong with your wife?" I asked him as they served a golden brown leek and cheese tartlet and Valina immediately rose from the table to leave again, this time without a word.

"She is sick, Lila," Matthias said curtly as he watched Valina trot the last few steps out of the hall with her paw clasped over her mouth. Looking down at his plate he sighed and I could see he was fighting the urge to go to her. "She can't stomach many vegetables right now. The mouseling is quite particular on what it wants its poor mother to eat."

"Well, she should have what the mouseling wants," I snipped and took a bite of the wonderful pastry. I almost moaned at the creamy texture.

"She was," Matthias glowered at me. "All her babe wants is seafare and fruit. The exact meal she thought you would want. Do you have any idea how excited she was to be able to sit through a meal without having to leave?"

I ceased my chewing at his words and swallowed in one large gulp. I hadn't stopped to think about the possibility of the queen not being able to stomach many foods. All I had ever been told in my younger days was to anticipate a pregnancy with joy because it gave a maid an excuse to eat anything she wanted, whenever she wanted it.

"Which is why you wanted the meal in the royal presence chamber," I muttered as he waved off the wine pourer from refilling his almost empty cup. "So she was close to your private chamber if she did turn ill."

"Oh, now you decide to think," he said sharply and I almost cringed at the whip to his words, but I didn't. Before I could make my defense, one of the queen's pawmaids came into the hall and swept a grand curtsy to Matthias and the court.

"I am sorry, Your Majesty," she said in a loud tone befitting of an announcement. "But Her Majesty is unfit to re-join you this evening." To me, she turned and addressed directly, "Queen Valina asked that I convey her deepest apologies to you, Your Highness. Her Majesty hopes that you enjoy the rest of your meal and she will see you on the morrow."

I nodded in acknowledgement and sent my regards to the queen with the pawmaid, as I had been properly taught to do. When I turned to look at my brother, his eyes were cold and accusing like it was my fault all of this had happened. Like I told the incoherent babe in his wife's belly to make her sick and not allow her to muscle through a meal. Of all the absurd notions!

I ate the rest of my meal slowly, watching Matthias out of the corner of my eye the whole time. Even the other lords and syrs were quiet; and they were young and full of drink- they should have been at least a bit roused! Every so often one would glance in my direction, only to turn away. It was not in an insulting way, just a way that I could only conclude they found me beyond reachable conversation. Just as well, I suppose- they were simple minor lords, raised-up fighters or second sons and probably not gifted with interesting discussion.

Matthias fiddled at his food and for every mouthful he didn't eat, I could feel my own countenance failing. Finally, the very instant the servants lifted his untouched plate from the eighth course he downed the last mouthful of his wine and looked at me.

"I'm going to make sure Valina is alright," Matthias sighed, rising from his seat and scooping up Martin in his paws with the practiced ease of a nursemaid. He should have simply ordered the prince's nurse from her place at the back of the hall to remove him to the nursery, but my brother did it himself. I was quickly seeing the devotion he had towards his son was genuine and much more affectionate than our father had been to any of us. He walked down the steps of the low dais and turned to me at the bottom.

"I trust you can hold court in my absence?" he said haughtily. I just nodded and watched him exit out of the feasting hall through the opened doors leading to the western wing.

"Shall we play an Almand, Your Highness?"

The voice brought me out of my stares and I turned back to the side of the dais where the voice came from. A lithe looking squirrel bowed at my gaze and I assessed the beast behind him holding instruments. Matthias had not told me there would be music.

"Yes," I said with a smile and nodded to the other noble beasts around their table. "It would please the court to have a dance. Tell me, did the king give the order for your services?"

"No, Your Highness," the musician replied and stretched up straight again. "Her Majesty, Queen Valina, employed us. She also told us to start with an Almand which she declared was your favourite dance."

I felt as low as a toad as I gulped down embarrassment and accepted the paw of a young syr who led me into the dance. I went through the motions of the music, but my eyes were fixed on the doorway my brother had left from, my own mind willing him to come back. But he didn't.

I didn't see Matthias for the rest of the evening.


	2. First Impressions

**First Impressions  
****Princess Dalila, Part 2**

_"__He came down from the North to Paris with a mind like Aristotle's and a form like mortal sin.  
We shattered the Commandments on the spot."_  
- James Goldman, _The Lion in Winter_ -

* * *

I thought I had everything perfectly planned as I walked regally up the staircase towards the royal chambers the next morning. I assured myself that either the queen would not yet be up or, out of what happened yesterday, deny me an audience. Either way, I would be turned away at the doors and I could at least tell my brother I _tried_ to apologize, and then it would be up to her to come to me. Yes, that would be more befitting anyways.

I climbed the last flight of stairs and stopped to see my brother coming down them, scribes and chancellors already whispering politics and needs in his ears, pestering him already before he even had his breakfast! He stopped before me and I could see stress in his face and puffiness to his eyes like he hadn't slept well, but I didn't comment on it. No, it wasn't my place to enlighten the king on a wearied appearance.

"Where do you think you are going?" he said curtly and waved his entourage back.

"Good morning, my lord brother," I responded properly and dipped as much of a curtsy as I could on stairs.

"Where do you think you are going?" he repeated as if I didn't hear him the first time.

"To inquire after the queen's health," I said quickly and when he crossed his arms over his chest, I added, "To offer my apologies for my actions yesterday."

"Oh?" my brother said and raised his eyebrow.

"Yes. I was out of sorts yesterday and feel I might have been… short with Her Majesty."

"Perhaps a little," he said while trying to hide a smirk. "Well, you…"

"Cannot see her," I interrupted with my best impression of disappointment and turned on my heel to make a hasty escape. "I understand it is early. Perhaps I will see her about the palace."

"Valina is awake, Dalila," Matthias chuckled. "She is at her embroidery in our chambers."

"_Our_ chambers?" I blurted out. "You mean her own."

"No, I mean ours," he huffed and I could tell I was trying his patience. "We share our chambers."

"O-oh," I stuttered out. "That is… nice."

He raised an eyebrow at my comment and waited a brief moment for me to give the opinion I was dying to, but it was not proper to criticize the king… or whatever he chose to populate his bed with. It made me furious to think that it must have been her assistance to have a joint chamber; that it was her way of keeping him loyal to her. Oh, it was killing me not to say anything, but I held my tongue. Bit it actually. Hard.

"I was actually on my way there myself," he said and trod down the few steps to me and held up an arm. "Perhaps you will do me the honour of escorting you?"

"Your Majesty, the council…"

"Can wait until I see my sister to my wife," he commanded and the creatures bowed their heads to his decision. After giving them all a hard glance, my brother looked at me and held his arm up a little higher. "Shall we?"

"Certainly," I replied formally, placing my paw on his arm and together we ascended the stairs. After a short silence, I put in, "You know, Matthias- you really do not need to take me to your chambers, I can see you have other issues pressing. I can go there myself or perhaps see the queen some other time."

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "I can always make time for family. And besides," he lowered his voice and leaned into me. "I can't wait to witness _you_ eat humble pie."

I just _harrumphed_ at him and raised my nose a little higher.

* * *

We entered the royal chambers and I glanced around at the familiar tapestries and furniture; the wealth of Eutrusia evident in every gilded piece and rich fabric. There were no pawmaids or footbeasts, only the queen who was at her embroidery stand working at some sort of piece.

"Valina, Dalila has come to visit you," my brother snickered, yes _snickered_, and gave me a little push forward.

"Good morning, Dal- I mean, Seasons greet you well on this fine day, Your Highness," she proclaimed and gave me an acknowledging nod. It was a formal greeting, one fit for a queen, yet something inside me wished she had not corrected herself.

"And you, Your Majesty," I replied and dipped into a low curtsy.

"Is there something you would like?" the queen asked pointedly. If one did not know her personality, they would think she was corresponding with royal kindness, however I knew how she _wanted _to carry out a conversation and so I knew she was being short.

"May I have a word, Your Majesty? In private."

We both looked at Matthias. "Oh, no," he said with a grin. "I'm staying for this one."

I just glowered at him. Brothers, especially kingly brothers are sometimes more bothersome than a corset.

"Well, what is your word then, Your Highness?" she questioned me and I was forced to turn my attention back to her.

"I came to say," I started, but hesitated when she stopped her embroidery to look at me. "What I mean to say is… Your Majesty must understand I…"

"The seabirds sent a message that the crab would like tea," she replied with a straight face. For the life of me I did not know what she could possibly be talking about. It made absolutely no sense. Was she half mad on top of it all?

"I am sorry, Your Majesty?" I gaped at her and she just smiled at me.

"Apology accepted."

"Apology? Your Majesty…"

"Valina."

"I beg pardon, Majesty?" I replied. I could not follow our conversation at all.

"My name is Valina," she repeated and gestured with her paw about the chamber. "And seeing as we are in private chambers, with no servants, you may call me Valina- as you promised to do."

"Very well, Your… Valina," I corrected at her raised eyebrow. "I am afraid I did not understand the meaning behind your phrase."

"Which one?" Really she could not decipher which sentence of hers was utterly ridiculous? I just spun round at my brother who was simply smiling idiotically again before motioning for me to continue.

"The one about the seabirds and the crab, and the tea," I reminded her. Surely that was enough to jog her common mind.

"Oh, I have no idea- your guess is as good as mine!" she laughed and continued about her needlework without a hitch. If my pawmaids hadn't spent the better part of a bell arranging my headfur I would have torn it out. My brother had better find me a husband soon or else living under the same roof as this mousemaid would surely cause me to drink.

"But… but, you said it, Your Majesty!"

"_Valina._"

"Brother, I can't do this," I snapped and turned to him as he burst out into laughter. "She's nuttier than a squirrel!"

"She got you to apologize," Matthias chuckled at me. "Valina tricked you into apologizing and you didn't even realize it."

"Yes," she agreed and rose from her seat. "You were having problems spitting it out so I thought I would help you."

"But I… you… and _you,_" I said and glared at my brother. "You knew she did that and yet you let me think… oh, Matthias!"

They both laughed at me and to my irritation, she clasped my paw.

"Dalila, I would like it for us to get along," she said earnestly. "We are family and I… well, I never had a sister. I guess I am excited to think of you as one."

"A sister? To you?"

"Well, sister-in-law," she smiled and I tried my hardest not to curl up my lip.

"Besides," she said and hooked her paw into my arm and led me towards the balcony. The thought ran through my mind that she might throw me from it and at the time I would have welcomed it if I did not have to endure any of her friendliness to me any longer.

"Besides, I need you to tell me a secret."

"A secret, Maje- Valina?"

"Yes!" she responded in an excited whisper and glanced back at my brother. "How do I get him to stop _snoring!_"

I smirked. Matthias had always snored as a youngster. At one point they thought something had not developed properly in his nose, but it just ended up being a trait of his. Something that sent my mother into fits at his unprincely behaviour.

"It's horrible," she continued and raised a paw to her forehead in a dramatic wave. "I cannot sleep a wink at night with his snuffles and snorts…"

"It is worse when he is tired," I confessed. "Or after he has had too much wine."

"What are you two talking about?" my brother questioned from his seat he had taken by the fire. "It had better not be about me!"

Valina laughed and I chuckled.

"But it's not just the snorting," she continued. "It's the throat gurgles and the _puffing!_"

"Our old nursemaid used to say no corsair would ever attack the palace at night for fear of Matthias snoring!" I chortled. "She used to say he sounded like a dragon!"

"I heard that!"

All of us laughed.

"Oh!" Valina exclaimed and held her stomach. "Matthias! It's moving!"

My brother didn't say anything, but quickly came to her side and clapped his paw on her belly in a well-practiced manner. After a brief moment, he got a large smile on his face.

"So it is," he mused and rubbed the swell. "Dalila, come feel the mouseling move."

"I, uh, no, Matthias," I stammered and held my paws closer to me at my shoulder. "It is not proper."

"Oh, hang proper," he laughed. "It's a little life in there, come on and feel it. Valina won't mind."

"It's alright, Dalila," she tried to coax me. "Come feel it before it settles down again."

I cannot say I was not curious. I had been around pregnant maids before, my pawmaids as such, but I never touched their bellies. Even if they had offered the chance to me, I would not have dared lowered myself to feel the kicks of my husband's bastards. Unconsciously, I held out a paw.

"Oh- quickly!" Valina said quickly and grabbed my paw to place the palm on her stomach. I was about to retract it when a light flutter moved beneath her brocade.

"That's the babe?" I asked softly and let a smile come to my face. "That flutter?"

"Yes!" Valina beamed at me and then looked up at my brother lovingly. "Or at least for now until it starts kicking!"

"Seasons help you if this one is anything like Martin was," Matthias jested. "I swear he was going to kick his way right out of you."

"He did eventually."

"I am happy for both of you."

Both Matthias and Valina looked at me in astonishment. I myself was amazed I had spoken the words, but I did. I had not even thought about what I was going to say… I just said the first thing that came to my mind. I was happy for them. And I realized I was happy because they were happy. And knowing that, made me even happier. And then I knew what Matthias was trying to tell me earlier- that it was okay to just be ourselves. As royalty we were constantly beheld as superior beasts and looked upon to set certain standards in society, but when it was just us, just _family_ it was okay to be just that. Family.

* * *

Slowly more nobles started returning to court as the seasonal State Feast drew closer and it seemed each night the servants had to pull another table from the side of the Feasting Hall to accommodate the rising numbers of lords. The more time I spent with Valina the more I came to know and respect her. She was, as my brother said, greatly loved by our subjects and held in high regard. She did show immaculate decorum when on presentation and beheld all the graces of a properly raised princess. However, under it all she was still herself and I was glad to see how she was able to comfort my brother through trying times and also how she was able to focus him on what was truly important: Our family.

I could see little Martin was going to be just like her. Though he looked like his father and was developing wonderful manners, he still had her broad smile and quick, easy laughter. He relished in small delights and was modest with his victories. I could see there was going to be something special about him and despite all the things that were foretold about him, somehow I felt there was more than we truly knew.

A week before the feast, I was taking the air on the covered corridors overlooking the courtyard when a group of beast came through the main portcullis. Immediately, I recognized the colours and symbol of Eurus on the banners and scanned the party for the haughty baron, but instead I happened to spy his son, Lord Ulran of Ruarden Manor, as he spoke to a herald and gave instructions for his family's state chambers to be made ready.

I continued to watch him intently, assessing the richness of his tunic, his lordly mannerism and his stern features. Well, they weren't so much stern as they were thoroughly exhausted. Coming all the way from Eurus, he would have had a three day journey if they barged the river, but by the looks of his companions, it almost looked as though they _walked_.

I had not seen Ulran for seasons, long before I was married. He was perhaps a season younger than me, but I knew he was older than Matthias. He had definitely grown into himself that was for sure! He may not have the regal height my brother did, but he was built like an otter across his shoulders. Seasons, the strength that must have been in them would have held up the very palace! He had dark eyes and light gray fur, and as he drew closer to me I saw the odd scar that marred his fur where he had his shirt sleeves pushed up from the southern heat. I knew he had fought alongside my brother during Eurus' uprising and had been one of his sidebeasts. He must have gotten the scars from the battle.

Once they reached the top of the stairs, I turned my full body to him and made my presence known.

"Welcome to Vasilis, Lord Ulran," I said loudly so that I captured his attention. He started only for a moment at the sound of a female voice greeting him and he spun to his right towards me. His eyes betrayed his demeanour and widened for a brief moment before blinking back to their regular size once more.

"Your Highness," he said formally and gave me a well-practiced bow. "I thank-you for your greeting."

I was about to insist he go inside out of the heat, but the doors to the Grand Gallery opened and my brother strode out to greet the lord with a large smile.

"Ulran!" Matthias laughed and clapped him heartily on both shoulders. "It's about time you came back to court! Come inside, come inside. It's hotter than a fire out here today."

I watched them leave, seemingly two close friends, and just before the footbeasts closed the doors behind them, I saw him look back over his shoulder. Our eyes met, and I… I smiled.

* * *

I dressed in my finest gown and ordered jewels from the treasury to adorn myself for that evening's festivities. The State Feast was still a week away, however, almost every noble was already present at court and I was determined to make an impressive debut into the ranks of availability again. It had been a full season now since Aarod left me a widow and Matthias still had no offers of marriage for me. Though I no hopes of bearing children, I still had a desire to be my own lady and control the runnings of my own household again. So as any highborn lady of quality did before a social occasion I mentally rhymed off any lord I knew (within reasonable age of course) and questioned my pawmaids as to their marital status.

"Lord Carn?"

"Married, two mouselets, Your Highness."

"Syr Ettore? He may be a bit young, but he has a keep in Sombey…"

"Betrothed to Lady Merth."

I shuddered at the next one. "Lord Sarem?"

"Oh, no! Your Highness, he's as old as the late King Matteus!"

"It would seem my options are thin," I mumbled and continued with my listings. It wasn't necessarily a shortage of nobles I faced, but rather the fact there were an abundance of young maidens of prime marrying age with fathers all sensible enough to betroth them early. Still as I glanced at myself in the looking glass, I could admit that I was no young maiden, but I still had my looks. Not carrying children had allowed me to hold my form well and my teeth were still as white as my headfur was glossy. To me I still looked like the princess I was long ago, but my opinion of myself did not matter; it was what the lords' opinion of me that would count.

"What do you know of Lord Ulran?" I prompted the pawmaid which I think was known as Talia.

"I know he is a widower, Your Highness," she answered and continued to arrange my headfur. "That is I haven't heard that he was ever remarried after his wife passed."

"Lady Caralyn," I nodded in remembrance of her. She had been one of my mother's wards- a daughter of a single syr, but by her mother's inheritance as a rich merchant's only daughter allowed her an impressive dowry. It was not a surprise to me that Baron Neron would have snatched her up quickly for his son. Ulran would eventually inherit Eurus' baronage, giving him a title only below that of the king, so it was immaterial whether or not the lady came from a great name. Noble recognition would be enough and there was never so much a thing as _too much money_. No, Caralyn's dowry would have rightly contributed to the state's treasury.

"How did she die?" I really should have known these things, but as I was finding out, Aarod really did not keep me much informed with the goings on in the kingdom.

"Birthing, Highness," she said, pinning up the last strand to finish my style. "During the uprising in Eurus they say. Lord Ulran was fighting beside the king and poor Lady Caralyn died without him by her side. A sad story that many have turned into a tragic love story… They say he is handsome after all and she was a gentle lady. Pity she should die moments after bringing him a son into the world…"

I stopped listening to her prattle after I heard that. A single lord and heir to a baronage _and_ already having an heir; my luck seemed too good to be true until Talia said that three letter word I absolutely despise…

"But…"

* * *

The Feasting Hall was filled with nobles throughout the kingdom. Serving beasts scurried about the throngs of creatures with trays of drinks and seasonal foods; everyone drinking and making merry. Matthias and Valina did have a joyful court I will give that. There were no fake trills of laughter as there was during my father's reign and inside of nobles giving the impression they were stepping on glass, they were in fact moving from group to group conversing with one another and clanking mugs in harmony.

Every beast had only good things to say about the king and queen and compliments rolled in paw of claw about the young prince who toddled about the dais in front of his parents' thrones. I made my way around the hall, stopping and speaking to creatures as I went, inquiring after their homes, their lands and such simple conversation as that. If there was a young lord in their company I was extra conscious to display exceptional manners and courtesies and perhaps pay them a little closer attention. I was no flirt by any stretch of the imagination, however I did have to make an impression on their and exploit the fact I was available for marriage.

Moving through the crowd I happened to see him talking to her in what appeared to be a civil and private conversation. Lord Ulran was dressed in a rich blue tunic with silver finishes; very suitable to his title and wealth, and she was dressed in a light cream coloured gown with light blue crystals that matched her eyes. Lady Ayn was definitely out to catch the attention of suitors this season shameless dressed as though she were ready for a marriage ceremony. It pained me a little that Ulran should have fallen into her trap, yet I suppose they did make the handsome couple Talia alluded to when she told me it was rumoured he was in negotiations with her father. It was just as well; he was from Eurus after all and though trusted by my brother, his loyalty was heavily speculated. I did not waste much thought on him however and continued my advance through the hall.

Lord Evnar was the one who should the most interest. He was young, a good four seasons my junior, but confident in himself and he had an impressive holding on the coast of Wesrus; that is when his father died and he inherited it. I had forgotten about him during my briefing prior to the gathering and was pleasantly surprised when he initiated further conversation after our preliminary greetings had been handled.

He inquired after my health, my happiness here in Vasilis; complimented me on my light purple gown and my choice of amethyst jewellery, everything that a young lord in the beginnings of an intrigue should. We walked a few paces together where we could both watch the dancers as they performed for the crowds and our discussion deepened. I made the bold move into asking after his status of marriage and he chuckled and confessed his father's wish that he take a bride sooner than later.

"Are you not inclined?" I probed and clapped my paws lightly when the dance was finished.

"Oh, I am," Lord Evnar said with odd look in his eye. "I just have not found a maid worth marrying yet, I suppose."

It was an honest and correct thing to say; especially when conversing with a princess looking for a potential husband. However, as the dancers started their motions again to the beat of the drums, he took the opportunity of the noise to comment on something not as appropriate.

"You know, Your Highness," he whispered into my ear. "Your condition gives you quite the… advantage over most maids."

"My lord?" I questioned, but kept my gaze on the dancers.

"Well, you see, Highness," he smirked and leaned back to look me up and down. "When I purchase a new ship, I insist on giving it a test run. To make sure I like the way it sails."

I went as rigid as a pillar.

"Of course there is always the fear of running her aground or hitting a rock where she may… _take on water,_ and then you are left with the unfortunate mess of having to pay for something you may not actually enjoy after all. But with you," he said with words dripping of suggestive nature. "With you its safe waters, isn't it?"

"You cannot speak to me in such a manner!" I snipped and spun round to face him. "How dare you!"

"Your Highness mistakes me," Evnar recovered and held his paws up in defense. "I was talking about purchasing a vessel."

"Leave my presence at once!" I commanded. I did not think my voice was as high as it had risen and at my statement there were more than one noble that turned towards my direction. To my astonishment, the lord didn't move.

"Lord Evnar, I asked you to leave," I repeated and desperately scanned the crowd for my brother. I was a strong maid, I knew that, but I was taken aback by his suggestion, his manner and even his defiance in my order. I could feel a cold flush start to rise through my body and I needed my brother's presence to assert my position. I needed… help.

"Is there a problem, Your Highness?"

Never before had a strong voice been so welcomed.

I didn't turn, but Lord Evnar did and he quickly stood back away from me. Once the forward mouse was three paces away from me, I moved to see Lord Ulran standing with a couple other nobles and two of his personal bodyguards. My mind breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, My Lord," I said with all the evenness my panicked body could muster. "I believe Lord Evnar was just leaving."

There was a pause where both were assessing each other's strengths and the air around us hung thick with tension. As Evnar continued to hold his ground, Ulran crossed his arms over his broad chest and pointed a claw at the smaller lord's footpaws.

"Leaving generally requires you to place the right paw down, and then the left," he said in low voice to hide the comment's comedy. "Or sometimes it is procured by flying through the air out an opened door. Which is your preference, Evnar?"

"The former, Lord Ulran," Evnar sneered and gave me a quick bow before disappearing through the mass of creatures. It was not until I heard Ulran's voice again that I realized I was holding my breath.

"Did he hurt you, Your Highness?" he asked me and I turned around as he took a step closer. "Did Lord Evnar slight you in any way?"

I paused to weigh my options. I could tell the powerful lord what the imp said to me, what he insinuated, but that would gain nothing to my cause but a brawl in the Feasting Hall, disgrace to my brother and prove myself unable to stand on my own two footpaws. No, that was not an option in the least.

"Not at all, Lord Ulran," I said with a smile. "A slight discrepancy on the proper way to procure a ship, however, it is nothing to worry about. The conversation is dead."

"There is only one way to buy a vessel," he replied in a level tone despite the hardness to his eyes.

"And what way is that, my lord?"

"You look at her," he said plainly and I saw his eyes soften. "You look at her until you come to the conclusion you can I live with her or without her. Then you walk away."

"Walk away!" I laughed. I truly laughed. Not the stifled chuckle my mother had taught us to do, but a true roll of laughter- the kind that squishes your cheeks and squints your eyes. I don't know why I found the comment so funny, but I did. "My lord that is a ridiculous notion! Why would you walk away from something that you wish to purchase?"

"To ensure you truly want it and it is not just an urge of spontaneity, Highness," he said knowingly. "If the next day you wake up and your first thoughts are of her, then you know she is yours."

With that he took yet another step towards me and said quietly, "May I speak plainly, Highness?"

"If it please you, my lord," I nodded, my face blank over pondering his previous words.

"You are a Princess of Eutrusia," he whispered. "You have royal blood in your veins and are the first lady in this land behind the queen. Your brother is the king and no creature has the right to talk to you or suggest to you the things that Evnar did."

"You heard him?" I asked in astonishment.

"I am a male," he snorted. "I saw the way Evnar was looking at you and whispering, and judging by your expression I can only imagine what he said."

"Your Highness, Princess Dalila," a page vole said behind me as I opened my mouth to respond to Ulran. "Your Highness, His Majesty requests you return to the dais so he may begin the feast."

"But of course," I answered and gave the page a nod. "I will be there directly."

"Highness," he said and bowed away from me.

Returning my attention back to the lord, I exhaled in frustration of our broken moment. "Lord Ulran, I…"

"Had better get going so the feast can start," he finished my sentence for me with a twinkle in his eyes. "Enjoy the feast, Your Highness, and I anticipate conversing with you later."

"Perhaps!" I teased and held out my paw for him to kiss. "My brother and sister-in-law generally commandeer most of my time at these occasions however."

"Until the morning then," he whispered and placed a soft kiss on my fingers.

"I will see you in the morning?" I questioned and he just looked up at me.

"That is for your thoughts to decide, Highness," he murmured and placed a second, lingering kiss on my paw. "For I hope I will think of you as soon as I wake."

He said no more words and I didn't respond as he stretched up and I reluctantly pulled my paw from his light hold. I don't remember turning away; I don't remember starting to walk, but what I do remember was glancing over my shoulder to see if he was still there. Our eyes met and he smiled.


	3. A Princess' Brave Knight

**A Princess' Brave Knight ****  
Princess Dalila- Part 3**

_"__The very purpose of a knight is to fight on behalf of a lady."_  
- Thomas Malory -

* * *

The next season passed quickly. Each day I went about my duties and marvelled at how large Valina was growing. With each bell I swear Martin grew taller and he could form full sentences and make proper addresses. Every day we worked towards the preparation of his investiture as Etifedd of Eutrusia and Matthias puffed his chest out with pride as we watched the goldsmiths sizing up the coronet on the prince which would be his in a week's time.

"Does it need many adjustments?" Matthias pressed as the hedgehog shifted and wiggled the rose gold piece on my nephew's little head. Turning to Valina and I, he added anxiously, "Perhaps, we should have done this sooner. What if it needs more adjustments than there's time for?"

"Then we will live with whatever they can fix and get the rest done after the ceremony," Valina reassured him and rubbed her hard belly.

"No, Your Majesty, everything must be perfect," I asserted and nodded towards Martin. "This is an important event; the second most important to the coronation of a king. The coronet must fit the prince exactly so or it will be seen as a sign."

"A sign?" she giggled. "You and your brother are too much."

"It's true, my lady," Matthias gently corrected her. "If the coronet is too small, they will see it that Martin is too big for the crown, too pompous. If it's too large, well…"

"They will view it as the prince does not fit the position," I finished for him. In a commanding tone I said loud enough for the smiths to hear. "The coronet must fit _perfectly_."

"But you have it adjusted for every Etifedd!" Valina gasped in comical disbelief.

"Yes, but no one knows that," Matthias winked at her. "How does it feel, Martin?"

"Heavy," the mouselet replied and scrunched his nose up when the smith pushed on the front of the metal. "But good, Daa-Lord Father."

Martin glanced at me as he made his correction in address. I smiled at him and nodded my approval. Though he still called my brother by that irksome short when we were in private, there were servants present and he knew well enough know to address the king properly in public.

"I don't see where we need t'change anything, Your Majesties," the goldsmith finally said and took a step back from the prince so we could view the image for ourselves. "I'd say it's a perfect fit as it is!"

"Ha!" Matthias grinned even wider. "I knew it would be. I thought Martin looked the same size I was."

"But you had this coronet when we were married!" Valina laughed. "Martin's head isn't that large."

"There are four Etifedd coronets," I informed her quietly. "All sized for different stages of life. To alter it with every growth would quickly wear out the gold and cease it to exist. There must always be an Etifedd, so there must always be an Etifedd's coronet."

She just rolled her eyes at the formality of it all, but didn't say a word. I knew she thought we were preposterous and in a way, I guess we were, but that is tradition. That is _royalty._

"So, that's everything then," Matthias interrupted and gestured for the goldsmiths to remove the coronet from Martin's head. He could not do it- that would signify him removing his son from succession and Martin could not touch the metal until it became truly his; another one of our traditions, but an important one. "We have the coronet, the robes, the ceremony is planned…"

* * *

I was a bell late- and I was never late. I always was perfectly on time. Except for that day.

My pawmaids had to practically trot to keep up with me. I myself had taken hold of my gown skirts to hold them so they didn't interfere as much with my strides.

_Why today?_ I admonished myself. _Why did I have to be late today or all days?_

Whisking around the corner, I spied the doors to the library, but no beast stood in front of them. At once, I slowed my pace to a respectable meter, looking from side to side down hallways and corridors in hopes he might be down one of them.

"Were there any messages for me?" I asked once we reached the tall doors. "No herald or… _anything?_"

"No, Your Highness," one replied.

"Has the council been summoned?"

There was a brief pause as they all looked at each other. "We aren't sure, Highness."

"Well, fine," I huffed and if I had been six seasons old I would have stomped my footpaw. "I shall read in private for two bells," I commanded. "Please wait here and see that no beast disturbs me except on my brother's orders."

"Yes, Your Highness," they said together and dipped me a curtsy as I pushed my way into the library.

Strolling between the book stacks I sighed at my missed opportunity to meet with him. Ever since he rescued me from Lord Evnar's vulgar conversation, Lord Ulran and I frequently crossed paths in the palace throughout our day. He was thoroughly dedicated to my brother and from what I heard from the chancellors, Lord Ulran was doing all in his power to demonstrate his loyalty to the crown and silence all those that still whispered about Eurus' uprising against the queen. I learned from Valina that Matthias was practically counting the days until Baron Neron's demise and the baronial state would succeed in title to Ulran. However, regardless of his responsibilities, the lord always seemed to have a spare moment or two to talk, or escort me wherever I needed to go. At feasts and dinners he always found some way to catch my eye as I did him and any talk of Lady Ayn was all old gossip not worth mentioning. More recently we had started organizing our _run-_ins into something more formal, where we would take the air together or simply stroll through the corridors of the palace and talk. Today, we had scheduled ourselves to meet in front of the library and, bearing he had no pressing engagements, we were to go to the market where he had hoped to buy some new fabrics which he would have commissioned into clothes for his son Ulrick. I had been excited that he would ask me to go with him; it meant he valued my opinion and making such a public appearance together would have affirmed intentions I hoped he had. However, it was all for not, for because of my tardiness, he must have left without me.

I rounded the corner, gripping the end of the case so I could swing around it in an unladylike fashion, and tried to think of how I could apologize to him and if it were truly necessary when I stopped in my very tracks. A smile happened my face as I saw him stretched out on a lounge holding a book over his head, twisting it this way and that and chuckling to himself. Whatever he found humorous, he was completely immersed in and had not yet noticed my presence. I cleared my throat loudly.

"My Lord Ulran," I said when he looked my direction and immediately got up from his casual position.

"Your Highness," he replied and gave me a slight bow. "I trust the Seasons greet you well on this fine day?"

"The Seasons greet me late!" I exclaimed. "I am sorry, my lord…"

"Ulran."

"My Lord Ulran."

"No, Your Highness," the lord said shaking his head and then giving me a smile. "Please, just call me Ulran."

"I cannot," I said formally. "That would not be proper, my lord."

"And do you always do what is proper?"

"Have you ever seen me do otherwise?"

"Not until today!" he laughed and motioned around the archives. "Not until you came in here unescorted. The scandal, Your Highness! Fancy meeting a lord in the library without your pawmaids present. Oh, you are set up to be the height of gossip by the seventh bell!"

I blushed slightly at his jest and waved paw like a creature does to a bothersome fly. "I did not know you were in here, my lord."

"I grew tired of standing outside the doors waiting for you," he relented, sitting down on his lounge and tapping the volumes he had pulled off the shelves. "And I wanted to see what all the fuss is about."

"The fuss?" I giggled and went to retrieve some of my favourite works.

"Yes!" Ulran laughed his rumbling laugh that was so distinctive it could be heard across the courtyard even when it was full of guards. "You and your brother are never far from parchment. I wanted to see what draws you both in."

"And did you find it?" I questioned and settled myself at a table to open my first tome.

"No! I fear I am still in ignorance for I cannot imagine sitting here endlessly as you both do looking over text."

"What stories did you acquire to aid in your assessment?" I said nonchalantly.

"Well, there's _The Thornless Rose_, _Starstreak…_and this one is, er, _A Lord's Command._"

"All wonderful love stories," I teased him. Marking my page with a piece of ribbon, I rose from my table and walked to the far corner of the library.

"Your Highness?" Ulran asked as I started climbing the ladder to the top of the bookcase. "Your Highness, do be careful."

"I will, my lord," I said and rolled my eyes at him. At that instant I stopped all movement included the motion to draw breath. I _rolled_ my eyes?

"Your Highness, is something wrong?"

"No, my lord," I responded and bit my lip against my smile and realization. Plucking a sizeable tome from the board, I climbed back down the stairs and carefully laid the old text in his paws.

"_The Watchers' Fall_," I said quietly. "It's more your style I should think."

"It's poetry," Ulran grimaced as he opened the work to glance at the first few pages. "Really, Your Highness?"

"Really," I affirmed. "It's about a young squirrel archer who defended a watchpost against a horde of white foxes for eleven days while the others ran for help."

"And did he hold the watch?"

I smiled slyly. "You'll have to read it to find out."

That entire afternoon we sat in the library together. I read two whole works and had started on my third when the sixth bell rang. Ulran never finished his epic poem; no, the lord read two pages and then fell asleep on the lounge he was sprawled upon. Even as I cleaned up my books and placed them back on the shelf, he still wasn't up. I walked over and looked down at him as he slept. He needed to wake up so could dress for the evening meal, but he looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake him. Besides it wouldn't be proper for me to touch a male that was not my husband and absolutely unladylike to raise my voice.

Quietly, I slipped out of the library, closed the door gently behind me and motioned from my pawmaids to follow me back to my chambers to prepare for the evening's festivities. I let Ulran sleep; the Etifedd Investiture was not for another week- surely he could miss one dinner to catch up on his rest.

* * *

I stood on my balcony listening to her cry. I could hear her mournful wails and my brother shouting at the top of his lungs. I knew the moment that frantic squirrel ran through the Grand Gallery and started banging on the Council Chamber door, and then when Matthias stormed out, not even acknowledging beasts as he roughly shoved them away, I suspected the worst.

I was with Valina from the start of her pains. I stood in the front row of nobles during the investiture ceremony for Martin, watching her grow paler and paler, until finally when it was over, I watched her rise with a dignity I would not have even held, kiss her now crowned Etifedd on the head and _walk_ _calmly_ out of the Grand Gallery. I hurried after her and snuck through the closing doors as she collapsed into the arms of her pawmaids, groaning and biting her own lip until it bled to hold in a scream. Immediately, I ordered them to take the queen to her private chambers and sent a footbeast scurrying down the halls in search of the midwives. We paused only once when her water broke on the stairs and I had no choice but to run back into the celebration and pull my brother away declaring he had to carry Valina for she was in labour and could not take another step. I have never seen my brother run so fast before in my life.

Valina had asked that I presided over the birthing to ensure everything went, as we joked about, _formally_. I held her paw as she struggled and strained in the mouseling's delivery, calling for cool cloths and holding her matted headfur back when she vomited from sheer pain. I praised my condition then that I never had to endure such a messy and painful experience as childbirth.

And yet, the miracle of life captured me as I was the creature who the midwife handed the little princeling to present to the queen. I was the first noble lady to handle the royal mouseling and I was in awe that I could now put a face to all those flutters and kicks I had felt when it was in Valina's stomach. I watched her hold it and cuddle it to her sweat soaked chest, its little squeaks and snorts puffing into the smiling face of his mother. I was the one who was wreathed in smiles as I ran, yes _ran_ into my brother's arms and told him he had another son; who held Martin's little paws and danced circles with him while he shouted and smiled that he had a baby brother. And I was the one Matthias entrusted to formally tell the court while he pulled up a chair to sit outside their private chambers, waiting for the door to open so that he might catch a glimpse of his new son or his radiantly exhausted wife.

I had the privilege of personally planning the presentation ceremony for the following evening; for when Valina would officially present the new mouseling, the new prince, to the king, the court and to all of Eutrusia.

And now I was the one who listened to them grieve.

I needed to get as far away from those mournful sounds as I could. I could not bear the heartache in them any longer. Walking briskly through my chamber I clasped my own paw on the handle of the door and opened it.

"Stay," I ordered my pawmaids when they rose to follow me and I made my way to the eastern side of the palace where, Seasons willing, I would no longer hear those horrible sounds.

I strode out across the marble, tears blurring my vision. In my own mind, I was again thanking the Seasons for my condition. Though I was greatly saddened by the fact I would never bear my own mouselings, to lose one as obviously my brother and sister-in-law were, was completely inconceivable to me. No parent should have to bury their own child and by the sounds of Valina's cries, my newest nephew would soon have his place in our family's tomb.

The nobles were scattered throughout the palace in pockets like bees on a comb; every one of them gossiping, whispering, speculating against what had happened, what was happening, what would happen. I kept my vision down so none would think I was open for conversation and pressed forward. I don't know what was worse; hearing Valina's sobs or the stupid comments from the lords questioning if the princeling was alive. Daft fools. What did they think all of this was about?

As I came to the stairs that led to the courtyard, I gathered my gown in my paws, looking up for the barest of moments to gage my decent and there, standing at the bottom, was Ulran and a large gathering of the higher ranked nobles.

"Princess Dalila?" he said softly and broke from the group. He had spoken in the slightest whisper, yet my ears heard him, or maybe it was just my mind. Regardless, I _heard_ him speak my name as I stepped down the stones and faced him. I paused for a moment to look into his kind eyes. I wanted to fall into those strong arms and be held. Be comforted from the sorrow I felt.

He did not bow to me and for once, I did not care. I would have gave anything not to be who I was at that moment. He sighed and blinked a few times as he searched for the right words and opened his mouth to begin an address when another beat him to it.

"Is it true, Your Highness," Baron Neron pressed me and stepped in front of his son to question me like I was on trial and he the head magistrate. "The new prince is dead?"

"That is for the king to announce, my lord baron," I said formally, though I knew my eyes betrayed me into telling him what he needed to know. Still, I would not openly give him the satisfaction of knowing information before any other noble; that and the fact I knew nothing for certainty yet.

"So, the king has not…"

"No," I asserted in a tone so far past contention one would think I was made of stone. Looking at all the lords, I continued, "We all must await the king's announcement."

And with that I walked away from them without a curtsy, without a head nod, without any sense of formality or grace of my status- I just left.

* * *

I found solitude in a covered corridor along the east wall which overlooked the city and the shipyard. Night was starting to fall and I suppose I had been standing up there alone for a small eternity. I heard pawsteps behind me; but I did not turn around. I knew who it was anyway.

"The king is walking the beach alone with some guards," Ulran said plainly to me and leaned on the railing beside me. "He hasn't sent word to formally announce the death yet and all the servants are hushed. My father is dying for information. He can't even pay the servants for words. They are all holding their tongues."

"And so they should," I snapped at him. "It is not their announcement to make."

"I am giving them a compliment, Highness," he replied and shifted his position to look at me. "And to give you a warning."

"Me? A warning?"

"Yes," he nodded. "You will be the one who will have any information first. My father will be looking for you."

"I do not wag my tongue for gossip, my lord," I huffed and held my head a little higher. "And unlike a servant, I do not need coin to line my pocket so your father would be better employed waiting in line at the doors to offer his condolences first! As should you!"

"I am," Ulran said quietly. "I am first in line to offer them- to offer them to you."

"Me?"

"Yes, Your Highness," he muttered and cleared his throat before boldly taking my thin paws in his larger ones. "I am sorry for the loss of your nephew, my lady. May the Seasons grant him swift travel to the Dark Forest."

I don't know why I did it, but I fell into his chest crying. I felt his arms wrap around me and I pressed his rich tunic to my face, trying feebly to hide the tears that I'm sure soaked him to the fur. We shouldn't have embraced. He should never have even touched my paws, but he did and we did. We just held each other as I cried angry tears at the harshness of life and the cruelty of the Fates. As my sobs slowed, he moved his paws gently to my shoulders to push me away from him to hold me at arms' length. When I looked up, I saw him draw a short intake of breath and exhaled slowly with a sort of groan-like sound.

"Please, don't cry, my lady," he whispered to me, brazenly cupping my face with his paws and softly kissing away the tears from my cheeks. "Please Dalila," he murmured between lip grazes, "please don't cry."

It was the first time any beast, besides my immediate family, had called me Dalila. Even Aarod had never simply called me by my first name, but had always said _my Lady Dalila_, or _Lady Dalila_, but never _Dalila_, as if I didn't exist outside of my title. Even when we were _together_ he never so much as whispered my name. And here was a plain lord, a lord not my husband or affianced in anyway, holding me, _kissing_ me, addressing me by my first name like we were equals… I should have been offended and angry at his show of obvious affection, but I wasn't. I felt… loved.

His kisses worked their way down my cheeks until he was at my lips and after a two heartbeat hesitation where he gave me more than enough time to smack his paws away or call for his death warrant, he pressed his lips to mine and I wrapped my paws around his neck to pull him closer to me. Around us the soft southern breeze swirled my long skirts about our legs and high in the sky above us red streaks of light flashed across the stars in long thin bands of colour. Ulran pulled away from me then to look at them, but we didn't let go of each other; we simply moved back to the railing in silence cuddling and watching the Seasons display of light, completely unaware that on the other side of the palace another little family was watching them as well; my nephew excitedly pointing at the sky and my brother telling him all about the flying red stars and their fabled blessings while my sister-in-law held a cooing new maiden in her paws. But none of that really mattered to me. No, the only thing that matter to me at that moment was the pair of strong arms around me and the feel of him nuzzle his chin into the curve of my neck.

* * *

It took Ulran and I (with a little help from Valina) a full season to convince Matthias to accept Ulran's offer of marriage for me. It was, as my brother put it, not Ulran he was worried about but the status of Eurus, and more specifically Neron. But in the end we persuaded him to agree and that spring we were wed.

It was a simple wedding. Not grand like my first one had been, or his for that matter. It was a second marriage for both of us and to most creatures a useless one. I was barren after all; there was no possible way I was going to give Ulran anymore children, but he would just laughed and proclaim he already had one son and that was enough for him.

Matthias officially gave me away and little Martin walked in front of us holding the new princess' paw as she wobbled on her tiny legs. To my utter delight, Malina had just learned to walk the week before and I insisted that she be part of the ceremony as my flowermaid. It threatened to be a disaster though when she refused to walk down the aisle in front of us, despite Valina kneeling at the end wagging a little doll and bag of treats for her. Luckily for Martin's quick thinking, he left his mother's side and trotted down to her, giving her paw a reassuring pat and placing it on his arm. She giggled and called him 'Mar'in' (her first and only word she spoke so far), taking three small steps to each of his already long strides.

When we finally reached the altar, Matthias gave me a kiss on the cheek and clasped Ulran strongly by the paw. The two of them were grinning like simpletons in their excitement of being brothers and me, I was just happy to finally be happy. This was a wedding of my choice to a male my heart chose. I wasn't marrying an old lord of forty seasons when I was merely fourteen as my father previously commanded me to do. I wasn't going to barely eat at my feast for fear of my wedding night and I definitely wasn't going to cry and shake this time when my husband disrobed and climbed into bed beside me. I wouldn't have to endure night after night of ruttings in hopes that I would carry. I wouldn't have go through all the embarrassing examinations and assessments performed by midwives and healers from all over the kingdom, nor hear the whispers from servants that it was _my problem_ seeing as yet again one of my pawmaids was birthing another one of Aarod's bastards. And I definitely would not have to read the spiteful letters from my mother asserting it was my duty as a princess and Aarod's wife to give him an heir; nor listen to my own father curse at me in my private chambers whenever he came on progress and saw my still-flat belly, telling me vulgarly that once Aarod was done I was to stand on my head until I caught. No, I would not have to go through any of that again. Ever.

After our ceremony, I cleaned off every plate from every course of our feast, danced every dance and laughed merrily when my half drunken lord swept me off my footpaws to carry me off to our chambers to the raucous sounds of the cheering nobles. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me through the palace, all the while thinking of my favourite mousetale…

'_… __And the prince picked her up in his arms and held her to his chest in an eternal embrace of love before she wrapped her paws around his neck and kissed him, never to let him go. The End.'_

* * *

**A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed the little version of Dalila and Ulran's little behind the scenes love story. It is one you don't get to see that well in ****_The Red Prince_**** (and didn't see at all in ****_Elderstar_****), but I thought it was worth telling. **


	4. Perspectives

**Thanks for the reviews on this collection of side stories so far! This one is a little drabble of Valina and Matthias' "courtship" as it were- but really what you will get out of it is some much inquired about history/geography of Eutrusia and so mild references to day to day happenings there. **

* * *

**Perspectives  
**_Her Royal Majesty, Queen Valina of Eutrusia_

_"A knight in shining armour is a man who has never had his steel truly tested."  
_- Anonymous -

* * *

On tournament days, my father always told me to place my wager on the oldest fighter, the one with the most dents on his plates and scratches on his shield. He warned me never to allow myself to be swayed by those that polished their steel to a high gloss or bothered with gilding or gems about their weapons. He taught me that the oldest fighter was the wisest, scarred armour was victories and the lack of adornments the mark of a beast who understood weaponry. So, when the horns signalled the start of the match and my father put on his dented helmet, drew his plain broadsword and placed his paw over his heart to my mother, I would lean over to a creature beside me and bet a copper on his victory. By the end of the tournament, my copper coin turned to silver.

As I grew older, I started to relate those sage words to other situations; the farmer in the field with dirt on his smock was hardworking or the merchant without pomp to his stand had fair prices or even a maid who kept her paws free was usually willing to lend one. But even my father's wise advice could never have prepared me for the situations I would experience when I first came to live at Palace Vasilis.

At fourteen seasons old I was dragged away from my dead mother's side by a pair of heralds and whisked up to the Eutrusian royal residence. I saw my father for the barest of seconds while I told him my mother's last words before he bolted under the portcullis and I was pulled into the interior to prepare for my _presentation._ For three bells the pawmaids worked at me, making snide comments of my humble dress and short nails, my calloused paws and troublesomely thick headfur. I was scrubbed, oiled, buffed and perfumed until they finally slipped a silken chemise on me and the tailors were called in to dress me. After what seemed an eternity they had me in a navy blue gown with gold threading, its sleeves flowed wide to the ground and the train was easily the length of two tails. I cried when they broke the clasp of my beaded necklace my parents gave me when I turned twelve seasons old and gasped when a pawmaid cut off the hemp and shell bracelet I made when I was eight with my best friend, Dinen. These simple wares were my dearest gifts and they treated them like they were rubbish and me like I meant nothing. Not even the gleaming sapphire pendant adorning my neck could make me so much as smile.

"Stop acting like a child," one pawmaid snipped. "You're marrying a prince. You will be an Etifeddes and then a queen. A thousand maids would kill to be in your position and all of them more deserving of the title than you. Stop acting like you don't want this!"

"I don't want this!" I screeched and stomped my footpaw like the common maid I was. "I don't want to be an Etifeddes. I don't want to be a queen. I want to go home! I want to see my father- I want to grieve for my mother…"

"Your mother is dead and no amount of tears will bring her back," another replied harshly. "Nothing you can say or do will change anything so you had better get used to it and accept what is!"

I let out a defeated gasp and around the room at all the well-dressed beasts with not a stain or ill mark on their clothing. Not a blemish, not a misplaced furpin or sash between them. All perfect replicas of each other, all glittering shinning ornaments- except one. Standing off to the side there was an old squirrelwife clad in a simple gray gown and wimple, her paws empty and clasped in front of her. I walked slowly over to her and looked into her kind eyes before she gave me a curtsy.

"Your Highness," she said when she rose.

"What is your name?" I sniffled out. She looked oddly familiar to me though I couldn't think of where.

"Palma," she answered with a slight smile. "I was a pawmaid to Queen Sibylla with your mother. Her Majesty has ordered I join your household to ensure you fit into your duties with all ease."

I sighed in relief; a friendly face at last. "Did you just arrive?"

"I have been here for a few moments," she responded and shot a hard glance at the servants who said such strong words to me. "But long enough to know there will be changes tomorrow." All of the others in the room seemed to slink away from us.

"What do I do?" I whispered. "Palma, I- I don't belong here. I don't know what I am doing… I-"

"Your Highness, you belong here more than you know," she said softly to me and held up a lace kerchief so that I could dry my eyes. "More than most beasts know. Dry your eyes and push back your fears. Everything will be alright."

I wasn't convinced. "How do you know? How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know you," she smiled, her wrinkles curling the corners of her eyes. "You are as strong as your father and as kind as your mother, Your Highness. Forget what they all say and hold your head up high."

"No beast thinks I should be here," I confided. _I don't think I should be here._

"Then prove them wrong," she affirmed and clucked at the necklace which had been placed around my neck. She motioned for me to turn and undid the necklace. "This single gem is not enough," she informed me and waved forward a maid holding a felt lined box. "Do any of these draw your fancy, Your Highness?" she asked.

I looked inside the small chest and gaped at the jewels inside. I had never seen such pretty gems before. "I-I… they're all so beautiful."

"These are only some of your state jewellery," Palma advised me. "There are more in the treasury should you want something else. Tomorrow I will be sure you are escorted there so you know which of those you can place an order for."

I gently reached in and picked up a simple emerald ring. There was nothing wondrous about it- it wasn't even that large, but the green was striking and the tiny diamonds encircling it twinkled like stars. Without thinking I slipped the ring on my right paw and smiled at the way it fit so perfectly on my finger.

"Excellent choice, Your Highness," Palma nodded to me before turning to another servant. "Ina, please have the Gardenia Gems fetched from the treasury immediately for Her Highness."

"Gardenia Gems?" I questioned, still looking at the ring on my paw and twisting it to catch the light while the maid scurried out of my chambers. "What are those?"

"A magnificent collection made with sapphires, emeralds and diamonds," the squirrelwife informed me. "I believe they will go very well with your gown and Marcena's ring."

My eyes snapped up at the name. "Marcena?"

"Why yes, Your Highness," my new confidant chuckled. "This ring belonged to the founder of the royal family's house. It was made on the mainland and…"

"… is a thousand seasons old," I whispered in awe and continued staring at it. This ring was worn by one of the bravest mice in known history. Her story was a legend, her tale revered by all that heard it. "The courage of one can save an empire," I recited in a hushed voice.

"The Mecare family creed," Palma smiled. "Eutrusia's Royal Adage."

"The courage of one can save an empire," I repeated, finding my own courage in the words.

Adorned with the gleaming Gardenia Gems and my simple emerald ring I entered the Grand Gallery to a wall of suspicious silence. The kingdom's nobles stared down their snouts at me, each of them choking on their surprise, looking for a fault or searching for something to place their faith. When I came into view of my father, I fought the urge to run to him and kept to the metered stride Palma taught me on our walk to my presentation; but it was when I saw Queen Sibylla that my bravery started to fail as a wave of emotions coursed through me. I felt myself falter. I felt fear.

_"You will be an Etifeddes and then a queen…"_ echoed through my head. I would become an Etifeddes when I married Prince Matthias and a queen once he succeeded his father to the crown. I would be expected to bear his children, to birth his son, the kingdom's next Etifedd. A task that would most likely be my primary occupation- an occupation my mother died trying to give my father. What if I couldn't… what if I died as well…

I tripped on my long gown and was certain I was going to fall when my father grasped my elbow to straighten me upright again. A shuddering breath escaped my throat as I looked into his hurting eyes and gave my arm a supportive squeeze.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asked and I watched pride soften the sorrow on his features and a small smile curl the corners of his lips. I simply nodded and squared my shoulders bravely.

_ The courage of one can save an empire,_ I repeated in my mind and turned my gaze to the dais, adverting my eyes from the queen and instead focusing on the prince, my future husband. He was giving me a hard stare as if waiting for me to falter again, but when our eyes met his expression melted into something warmer. He grinned at me and I saw his bright blue eyes twinkle in the sunlight flittering in from the tall windows around us.

_"Marry only a male whose smile touches their eyes," _my mother had told me once. _"If his smile reaches his eyes then he has nothing to hide."_

All my fears melted at that realization and I walked with a new confidence towards him. I barely heard my father's words as he formally gave me away to the royal family, choosing instead to focus on Prince Matthias as he lifted a rose gold tiara from a velvet cushion and twirled the diamond tipped spires downwards to place on my head. The weight of the metal and jewels were heavy on my brow, but I didn't feel a thing once he smiled once more and gave me an approving nod. He took my right paw in his; pausing for a moment to view the ring I had on my finger before giving me a tight squeeze for strength. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. The courage of one can save an empire, and as we both turned back to the reception and a mighty cheer sounded to the skies we both knew it to be true.

* * *

"There are four baronial states; Nilhand, Eurus, Seldor and Wesrus," I rhymed off to the royal tutor glaring at me over his spectacles. "Each of them resides in their family's state castles and they hold a place on the King's Council."

I knew I was right, but the hedgehog looked less than impressed. "And the names of the baronage castles are?" he pressed.

"Nilhand has Ashbryar Castle in its capital of Talinra," I replied confidently. "Eurus' capital is Lysium where Castle Calsley is situated. Aurelius is Seldor's capital and the baronial estate is housed at Kerfield, and-" I paused for a moment to feign in-depth thought, "- and Wesrus' Arvendon Castle is located in the capital of Haerndean."

"Hmm," was his reply and he started walking about the study area in the palace library. I tried my best to hide my smile from him. I knew every beast thought I was just a lowborn maid in need of constant instruction, but I was slowly proving them all wrong, just as Palma told me to. Even in my private lessons with Queen Sibylla on courtly etiquette and decorum I was showing her I knew more than she had originally assumed. I knew the proper addresses and courtesies due to different levels of nobility and so far only needed tutelage in one area of dance. I suppose all those years of playing make-believe queens and princesses from mousetales with my mother were finally paying off.

"Your Highness," my tutor began, not bothering to turn around to face me, but rather tapped the imaginary board in front of him with the scroll he held in his paw. "Please name the primary resources for each state."

"The north is lumber. The largest, sturdiest trees grow in the mountain valleys and hillsides of Nilhand. Eurus' flat fields and rich soils are the best for growing wheat and…"

"And why are they the best?" he interrupted me.

"Because Eurus is a floodplain for the Eu," I asserted. "When the snows in the north melt and flow into the river, the Eu breaks her banks and floods the lowlands of the east each spring."

"Very good," he muttered begrudgingly. "Please continue. Wesrus?"

"Wesrus has its fruit orchards and here in Seldor we have the ports for trade and gold mines."

Again he glared at me and I simply smiled back sweetly which made his spikes bristle all the more. I bit my cheek to hold in a laugh and pretended to straighten my quill and parchment on the gleaming wood surface of my desk. When I looked up again, he was polishing his glasses with the corner of his overrobe, holding them up to the light for inspection and then polishing them again. He only ever did that when he was frustrated with me.

"Your Highness," he stated, placing the spectacles back on the bridge of his nose and coming to stand on the opposite side of my bureau. "King Matteus has employed me to teach you the history and ways of Eutrusia in preparation for your future role in our kingdom. Now, may you please enlighten me on _how_ you already know all of this?"

"You forget Master Kiron, my father is the Captain of the Royal Guard," I responded proudly. "It is his duty to know the different regions and areas of wealth for our country to best defend her interests in case of attack. It can go without saying he has taught me what he knows."

"Yes, but you also know all the names of the barons and most of the higher ranking lords…"

"My mother was Queen Sibylla's head pawmaid. She was well versed on the nobility of the kingdom which she related to me once I started to assist the queen as well.

"And there is really no trick to it," I added matter-of-factly. "A baron holds the highest ranking of our nobility, under royalty of course. Then come lords and then syrs."

There was a curt silence between us while he re-evaluated me. "You exceed my initial assessment of you, Highness," he relented. "We will leave current proceedings of the kingdom aside for now and focus on some history of our country. Tell me- why are the barons of the north squirrels, the south otters and both east and west baronages mice?"

"The Deodar family rules Nilhand because it was the tribe of squirrels who originally populated the area when the descendants of Marcena came to Eutrusia," I said with a hint of exasperation. "The Bruinen family were the leaders of an otter holt found right here in the capital and Eurus and Wesrus are governed by the progeny of mice who accompanied our royal family's founders across the seas to escape the plague which ravished the mainland."

My tutor gaped at me. "You… Where did you learn that?" I rolled my eyes at his astonishment.

"Master Kiron, if we are done for the day, I would greatly like us to adjourn," I replied plainly. "I wish to go visit my father and he would be greatly surprised if I met him for the midday meal."

"We have one more lesson to complete, Your Highness," Kiron stumbled out and looked around at the tomes and volumes he had on the table for my lesson. "Excuse me for a moment, Highness- I just have to find the work needed for the session."

I huffed and flopped against the chair back. I knew my tutor was determined to teach me something and Seasons only knows what he was planning on enlightening me with. There was a light clapping behind me and I smiled to think who it might be.

"So, you know the old family names," he said in a regal voice of perfect volume and pitch, neither overfamiliar nor condescending. "How did you come to know that?"

"You will not believe me even if I told you, Your Highness," I said with a smirk and a light blush. "That is, I doubt you would remember."

I heard him walk up behind me and watched him come around my desk to sit in the chair opposite me, laying the tome he was carrying down between us. Prince Matthias placed his elbows on the armrests and cupped his fingers together in a thoughtful manner, pressing his index claws together to tap his lips. Everything about him was serious and proper, regal and… handsome.

"Try me," my betrothed finally said to me and unwound his paws to lay them flat on the armrests. I had only been living in the palace for little of a week and every so often we tended to bump into each other throughout our day. It was usually during my lessons he happened upon me in a sort of casual occurrence where I assumed our studies overlapped slightly; that is until I learned that his tutelage started at dawn and ended well before mine. Palma had smiled coyly at me when she told me she often spotted the prince leaning against a bookcase listening or peering through the shelving at me. I had no idea what caused his interest in me, except perhaps the fact I had some sort of functioning brain between my ears rather than presumed fluff and stuffing, but whatever it was, it made me blush deeper than my father's battle cloak.

"You were the one who told me," I answered in a hushed tone and resisted the urge to fidget under his gaze. "Almost two seasons ago now. When your family had mine for dinner in the private chambers to celebrate…" I paused and shook my head against the surprise tears that clouded my eyes. I took a deep breath before continuing, "When my mother first found out she was having another mouseling. While we waited for dinner, you read a few passages aloud from one of your books. It was some sort of history of our kingdom's founding."

"I am surprised you remember that," my prince chuckled and gave me a little smile which I returned. "Is that the only time you have heard that story?"

"Yes," I confessed. "I have a tendency to remember things I hear, Your Highness."

"Indeed," he simpered and leaned back in his chair with a little more ease. "So, you remember the names of the families- do you recall why they are rarely used now?" His tone wasn't meant to be patronizing, but he sounded like an instructor. I know he meant well- that he was just trying to start a conversation with me, yet it was stifled and awkward.

"I believe it is because the building of the noble residences abolished the need for it," I responded plainly. "Every beast knows that Baron Milan of Ashbryar is a descendent of the Deodars because of his title."

"This is true," Matthias laughed with even more comfort. "I wouldn't be surprised if most of the nobles have not forgotten their true family names. It seems only the common beasts use surnames in order to distinguish themselves from one another or highlight a trade."

"It is because we are proud of our families," I said defensively. "If we do not have a title, why not cherish what names we do have?"

"I did not say it was a bad thing," he countered in a flat tone. "A beast must take pride where they can, be it in a name, a job well done, or as simple feat as rising out of bed in the morning. Pride in oneself makes for happiness in the realm, and happiness in the realm leads to prosperity throughout the kingdom."

I smiled slightly at his response. It was a little arrogant, but true in its meaning and proved he thought about the creatures of his kingdom. Perhaps beneath all of his formality there was a more caring side to him than he chose to show.

The eleventh bell started tolling and with one fluid movement, Prince Matthias rose from his chair. "I fear I must leave your company now," he proclaimed and gave me a slight bow. "I have to join the others on the Tilt Grounds for training."

"Of course!" I exclaimed out of nervousness and jumped to my footpaws to perform a quick curtsy to him. Mentally, I was berating myself- I should have risen when he did to give our farewell addresses at the same time.

The prince smiled at me and went to turn, "Do you want to accompany me?" he blurted out and I saw him crimson slightly. "What I mean is I heard you express a wish to see your father and he will be there…"

"I would be delighted!" I said excitedly and clasped my paws together, but stopped myself from becoming too hopeful when Master Kiron appeared from around a series of shelves. "That is, I would be delighted, but I fear I must continue my studies."

"Those can be rearranged," he said and nodded at Master Kiron's surprised expression to see him in the library. "Besides, it seems as though you do not truly needs lessons in this field."

I giggled at my tutor's glared annoyance at being put aside, but did not hesitate to take the prince's offered paw and walk with him out of the library. He paused for a few moments to take read a message from a herald and took the offered sword and scabbard from his footbeast to strap onto his belt while I related the change of plans to my two pawmaids, Palma and my newest dear companion, Hiata.

"Shall we, my lady?"

"Yes," I replied with practiced dignity and pick up pace beside him, the two of us easily matching stride for stride. Our serving beasts followed us, keeping a good five paces behind our shadows; not close enough so they could hear our every word, but within commanding distance.

"Your gown is lovely," he said quickly as if to compliment me into another conversation. I looked down at the simple violet damask trimmed with golden thread and beads of pearls at the bodice and sleeve cuffs.

"Thank-you, Your Highness," I mumbled and battled against the flush rising to my cheeks again. I thought I looked well enough in my newest dress, but I was glad he thought so as well. Nervously, I let my palms smooth out my gowns non-existent creases and fussed with my headfur that had been curled into some sort of puffed out style below my left ear. "Do you train everyday on the Tilt?" I questioned in attempt to take the attention off myself.

"Not as of yet," he sighed. "I am only fifteen seasons so I am a bit young for full training, yet the king insists I have some experience should the need for battle arises."

I nodded my acknowledgement. The youngest a beast could join the Royal Guard was sixteen seasons and I knew my father was strict to the rule, even with the royal wards who expressed interest in military training. I was actually a bit surprised that he had let Prince Matthias begin early, but I suppose if the king ordered it, there was nothing my father could do but obey.

"How are you liking it here at the palace?" he asked me in a hushed tone. "Is there anything you would like or need…?"

"It is beautiful," I confessed. "You have a very nice home here."

He laughed at my statement. "I'm sorry, Your Highness," I sighed. "I didn't mean to call Palace Vasilis simply a home…"

"Well, it is essentially," he chuckled. "I'm glad you like it as it is going to be _your home_ as well- or rather it already is."

"I suppose I just miss my old home," I confided in him and watched the expression change slightly on his face. He did not make a response to me and together we descended the stairs and followed the path through the courtyard towards the northern gate.

"I hope the feeling will leave you soon," he said, breaking the silence between us and looking at me earnestly. "I do wish you to be happy here as we are to be… well, marriage is for a lifetime and to be unhappy with one's home would not make for a joyful life."

"It is getting easier," I reassured him. "I am learning to treat Vasilis as my home."

"So it would appear," he said plainly. "Though I am told a truly wise beast learns something new every day."

"And you strive to be wise?" I jested, noting his shift in topic.

"Yes. I believe a good king is a wise king, which one day I will be."

"Then I will help you to learn something new every day," I affirmed and looked up at him. "And in that, I will become wise, too."

"Will you now?" the prince chortled and stopped to gaze down at me. "And what will you teach me today?"

"I'd wager you do not know my family's name," I replied with a wink. I was absolutely certain he would not know anything about me besides the obvious and since my father carried a military title, I knew not many creatures knew our family name.

"Einarr," he said before I could offer the answer. "Your family name is Einarr. Termed for the first of your line to wield the Sword of the Guard after the Battle of the Red Sands. Einarr was the first of your house to hold the title as Captain of the Royal Guard, and it is him for which your family is so named."

"I… yes, how did you know that?" I gaped at him and put my paws on my hips in mock annoyance at being thwarted.

"Because I too take pride in my family," Prince Matthias responded and held up his arm for me to take again. "And in three seasons you will be part of my family, Lady Valina. In three seasons, you will become my Etifeddes and cease to be an Einarr- at that time you will become a Mecare."

I can't put into words the feeling I felt for him then. It wasn't love- that came later- but rather an overwhelming sense of belonging. My prince made me feel like I was truly there for myself and not for some trumped out prophesy or to simply be a broodmouse to mix our bloodlines. He gave me confidence and hope that we could really make a happy life together.

I watched my betrothed train on the Tilt under the careful eye of my father; observing him perfect his form and even move through a four beast wheel. He had obvious skill and was attentive to detail which made me smile. Afterwards, I convinced him to walk with me through the market and even persuaded him to sample a few bits of candied damsons and roasted figs from the local vendors. Although we had a score of guards around us, it almost felt like we were alone as we conversed openly in the warm southern air. I even confessed to him my love of lilac blooms when we reached a flower merchant who gave a small bough to me as a gift to Eutrusia's future Etifeddes. That evening after dinner, we stole away from our servants and walked along the palace ramparts overlooking the sea. He tried to impress me by showing off his knowledge of astrology, but I astounded him by knowing a lot of them myself. It was then when we were alone we promised to only be ourselves and not the beasts that creatures expected us to be. When we were alone, we would open and forthright, dropping our titles and referring to each other simply by our names. It was with him, with my Matthias, Vasilis became my home, for home is where the heart is and my heart was with him.

And as we said our goodnights and he timidly kissed my lips with all the bumbling experience of our young seasons, I knew that no matter what was to happen to us in time to come, everything would turn out fine; for he was my Matthias and I was his Valina. Plain and simple with no shining armour or glittering gems, we were falling in love with who we truly were and not who we pretended to be. Though when I returned to my chambers and found it a bower of lilac blooms of all colours and sizes, I had to admit that sometimes his grand gestures were greatly appreciated as well.


	5. The Fates' Might

**This is a little drabble I did about Matthias. You see, I don't do tradition character sketches, but instead write out scenes that highlight their strengths and weaknesses. This is one of them. Here you will see love, devotion, fear and trepidation in the realization of 'higher beings' at work (Seasons vs. Fates) that he cannot control despite being a king. I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

**The Fates' Might**  
_His Majesty, King Matthias of Eutrusia  
(Part 1)_

_"Bran thought about it. 'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?'  
'That is the only time a man can be brave,' his father told him."_  
- George R.R. Martin, _A Game of Thrones -_

* * *

At what hour I rose that morning, I could not tell you. How I broke my fast, I could not say. When I had entered the Council Chamber, I could not remember; nor where I ceased the proceeding, I could not recall. The thing I did know was _why_. The same reason I had a bounce to my step, wings to my heart and a smile on my face- I was going to visit my son.

Up through the corridors of the west wing I strode; my scribes, chancellors and footbeasts hurrying in my wake, each muttering bits of advice and last minute politics that fell on my deaf ears as I looked out the leaded windows to the glorious day with a sun so bright it set the sea aflame with white diamonds. I smiled even larger. The sea. I could teach me little son how to swim and command a vessel. He could help me bless our new flagship, _Mawredd_, when it was completed in another season- he would be old enough to go for a sail by then, even if it was just a brief one out the bay and back.

"Your ruling on it, Your Majesty?" posed Clancey, my Chancellor of Coin. I gave him a vacant expression and the otter grinned at me. "I'll see it is recounted, sire."

"Great," I chuckled, not knowing truly what he was talking about, but seeing as it was being redone, it was something that didn't add up and I would get the recount, so at this particular time- it meant nothing important to me. I was usually very careful with my statesbeastship, but I could not concentrate on anything to do with politics right now.

"There is the matter of Baron Neron," Lord Tearil pressed me. My ears perked slightly, but I did not slow my pace, especially not for the mention of that mouse. Glancing to my left, the aging vole nodded the seriousness of his statement. "He is the only baron, well noble beast truthfully, who has not yet sent you his regards on the prince's birth. The others have sent gifts or at least words of congratulations…"

"He will," I said more out of evasion than faith. I really did not want to start on topic of Eurus, yet again. "Besides, Lord Ulran is here at court and already has he expressed his well wishes to both the queen and I. I am certain he speaks for his father as well."

"Lord Ulran is not Baron Neron, I am afraid," Tearil stressed. "Majesty, as one of your advisors I must implore you to see his actions as a…"

"I do," I responded in a curt tone that was beyond contention. Once I stepped through the arched entrance of the royal presence chambers I turned to my entourage and held up both my paws. "I thank you my lords, but I must end our discussions here. Any pressing issues can be directed to the Queen Dowager and only in extreme matters of state am I to be disturbed."

They stared blankly at my announcement, but I held firm and watched as they slowly took their leave, bowing and slipping away in pairs whispering their concerns and opinions. Surprisingly to me, of all the creatures to remain, Lord Admiral Berg hung back.

"Ah, they are all a load of fusspots y'Majesty," the old sea otter proclaimed and made a comical kicking motion with his footpaw, like a father would to the rump of his naughty child. "Don't mind your head 'bout the Neron- I have ships crawling over the eastern seaboard an' doubled the watchbeasts in the towers. Captain Martin 'as strengthened patrols and no beast is gettin' in or outta Aurelius without one o' us knowing.

"'Sides, the baron wouldn't try anything sneaky with his son 'ere," the admiral continued. "Ulran commands too much respect and no beast in Eurus is gonna try an uprising again fer a long spell o' seasons after the whoopin' you and Captain Martin laid them. Ya c'n jus' enjoy being a father."

"Thank-you, Admiral," I chuckled and gave him a smile. "I'll be sure to try."

"Well, you ain't gonna do it out 'ere!" he snorted at me and waved towards the stairs. "Go relish the lil' guppy afore he c'n talk back t'ya- it won't be long y'know!"

"And when he does, I'll be sure to send him in your direction," I laughed heartily and gave him a regal nod of dismissal. "May the rest of your day be fair, Lord Admiral."

"An' the same t'ya, Your Majesty," he said with a broad grin and a bow. I watched him leave and turned to the double doors on my right to view the footbeasts standing at attention. I raised my eyebrow at the sturdy hedgehogs and the one grinned while he shook his head; I pointed across the open space to the single flight of stairs that led to my wife's private chambers and he nodded with a chuckle.

"Ah, Valina," I mumbled happily under my breath and bound up the steps. The footbeasts at the top straightened up once they saw me, exchanging joyful smiles with me while they gently opened the doors to the hushed silence within. I barely had one footpaw through the entrance when I was set upon by a gaggle of pawmaids and midwives.

"Shh!" they hissed in a thunderous unison which utterly contradicted any sort of quiet the sound implied. Still, I froze in my tracks and all but held my breath.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," whispered Valina's senior pawmaid, Palma. Giving me a slight curtsy as to show respect, but not ruffle her skirts, the old squirrelwife moved closer to me so we could continue our conversation quietly. "We were not expecting you."

"I came for a visit," I confessed and looked about the chamber for my little family.

"We just got them to sleep," Hiata offered with an exhausted look on her face. "Perhaps later…"

"I thought he was going to start taking his naps in the nursery during the day?" I questioned lightly. "Why is everybeast in the queen's chambers?"

"The princeling wouldn't settle in the nursery, Majesty," replied a nursemaid I did not yet know the name of. "We had no choice but to bring him back to his mother…"

"The prince is sleeping in his cradle, Your Majesty," reported a midwife- a jolly looking hogwife with a plump face and stout paws. "Best to jis' let them sleep."

"I'll wait quietly by the fire," I mused once I caught the glimpse of Valina sleeping on the bed facing the open balcony and my son's little cradle beside her under the warm sunrays coming in the window above him. "How is the queen?" I asked the midwife.

A sly smile crossed the hogwife's lips. "D'ya want the true answer or the answer we usually give t'husbands?"

"There is a difference?" I grinned and held in a bolt of laughter.

"Queen Valina is faring well, Your Majesty," she smirked at me. "A few days and she'll be right on her paws again."

The mock assurance in her tone was unquestionable. "And the truth is…"

"Her Majesty is an exhausted mother," she snickered. "The birthing was a long one and the princeling is a demanding babe. So far, he will only take to her and with that bottomless tummy o' his, he wants his milk e'ery couple bells. But," she added with a warm smile, "she is happy and healing quickly, and that mouseling is a strong little mite."

"Her Majesty should give the Prince Martin to a wet nurse," Palma stated strongly. "She needs to recover and resume her duties…"

"It is healthier for babes t'have their mother," the midwife argued. "At least for the first two weeks o' life…"

"It is against royal protocol!" Palma gasped. "Royal babes should be in the nursery…"

I cleared my throat to cease their bickering and eyed them sternly. I already had this fight with my own mother earlier that morning over the subject and Fates-be-damned if I was going to listen to it again.

"The arrangement will be whatever the queen wishes," I stressed. "And as she has expressed the wish to continue with him for a full fortnight, I fail to see how this is even a discussion." Immediately, they all dropped the matter completely. "Now, if you would excuse us, I would like a private moment with my family."

"But Your Majesty can be… Erm, I mean, of course…" Hiata started to protest and then quickly changed her tune.

"We'll just be waiting outside the doors," Palma nodded and motioned for what was in truth a score of servants to the exit.

"No, please take the opportunity to rest yourselves," I ordered them in a soft voice. "The queen and I can handle the prince for the afternoon and you all have had as many sleepless nights as she has. Take the afternoon off. I'll send a herald to find you should we require assistance."

They halted and gawked at me. It wasn't proper (or usual) for monarchs to tend to their children, especially not for a whole afternoon, but after the previous day's presentation of my son to me and the court, I could openly visit them- and I was going to take full advantage of it.

"Are you sure, Majesty?" Palma drawled out unsurely. "The princeling is quite active…"

"We can manage," I affirmed and took the handle of the door myself to herd them out. I wasn't sure if there were more looks of hesitation or relief, but all the same, as I closed the door quietly all that mattered was the precious creatures sleeping before me and the overwhelming sense of pride that filled my heart. Stepping lightly to the bed, I placed a kiss on my beautiful wife's head and smiled as she sighed and wiggle down further in the downy softness of her pillows; but that smile was nothing to the one that grew on my face when I knelt beside the cradle and peered in over the top rail.

I had never been so proud, so excited and yet so humbled as I was when I looked upon my tiny son. I was completely in awe that I helped create a little life as perfect as the one sleeping so soundly before me. My three-day old prince lay with his tiny paws flopped over his head and his short whiskers twitched every now and then at the warm sea breezes coming in from the balcony. I reached in the crib and gently pulled the silk sheet up over his little body to ward off any chill, giving a comical snort when he promptly kicked them off.

"Stop fussing with him, Matthias," Valina mumbled and I straightened up at the sound of her voice. "Just let him sleep."

"I thought _you_ were asleep," I replied in a hushed voice and turned back to her.

"I was," she murmured with her eyes still closed and her headfur in simple plait over her left shoulder. "But a mother knows when a creature is between her and her child. Please, Matthias- just let Martin sleep."

"He keeps kicking the blankets off," I protested. "He…"

"Shh, Matthias," Valina pleaded softly, opening her eyes to me. "I swear by the Seasons if you wake him up…"

"Fine, fine," I smirked and sat down softly beside her. "Go back to sleep, Vali. I promise I won't bother him."

She hummed and pulled the covers up higher on her shoulders. "Where are my pawmaids and the midwives?" she breathed.

"I dismissed them for the afternoon," I responded gently. "I thought you and I could be alone with little Martin."

"Do you not have any engagements?" Valina asked, opening her eyes again and pulling herself into a sitting position.

"Yes," I confessed. "But I told them all to shovel sand- I wanted to spend the afternoon with my new family."

My beautiful wife smiled her thanks and I leaned in to kiss her lips with a tiny squeak sounded from the crib. We both froze instantly.

"That was barely half a bell," Valina groaned as she looked forlornly at the squirming form behind the side rungs. "Oh, Seasons let him fall back asleep," she begged beneath her breath.

My son squeaked once more, gave a little huff and just when I thought we were safe and he had settled again, a raucous sounded erupted from the cradle and Martin roared his objection at his surroundings.

"He gets his lungs for your side of the family," I laughed and moved quickly to his side. "I'd wager he'll rival your father's own battle cry when he's older!"

"He hates being in his crib," Valina sighed.

"I see that," I snorted and reached into the cradle to hold the tiny paws of my squawking prince. "Shh, Martin," I said quietly and scooped my paws underneath him, bringing him up to my chest the way Valina had showed me. "Quiet now. Let's give your mother a break- just a little more sleep."

He twisted in my light hold and scrunched his little nose in anger while he fought the layers of fabric bands holding his body straight. After a little while, he ceased his movements, but continued to grumble and snort at his defeat.

"Martin may get his voice from my father," Valina jested as she came up beside me to look upon him, "But if that isn't your pout, I don't know what is!"

Once he heard his mother's voice, my son's blue eyes popped open and he started mewling and turning his head towards my chest with his mouth open.

"Now what is he doing?" I gaped as his lips smacked.

"He's hungry," Valina said gently and curled her arms around Martin to lift him away from me. "Alright Martin, come here my little princeling," she cooed and rubbed noses with him. I watched as she murmured and smiled her way to a large armchair by the fire and settle down against the pillows.

"Is he really feeding every two bells?" I questioned, turning away slightly as Martin's muffled snorts and satisfied grumbles began to fill the chamber. Despite myself, a blush rose to my cheeks and I cleared my throat and tried to cover up my embarrassment by rising to get myself a beaker of rosewater. For my life, I didn't know why I flushed; I was a king after all and had seen much in my days, but when it came down to it, I suppose I was still only twenty seasons old and a nursing mother was altogether a new experience for me.

"If I'm lucky!" my wife exhaled contently. "But generally, yes, though last night he made it almost four bells!"

"My mother thinks you should give him to a wet nurse by now," I put in, approaching the subject cautiously with my back still to them. "It has been three days. Perhaps it would be best…"

"And the midwives also said it was healthier for both of us if he takes to me first," Valina retorted in a rehearsed sort of manner that sounded like she heard it all day as well. "She said a fortnight would be best. You agreed to do whatever was in the best interest for Martin."

Plucking up my courage I turned around. "Yes, but you are exhausted. How is that healthy for you?"

"Because I've never been so happy," she replied and let her brilliant eyes shine up to me. "Matthias, I wouldn't trade this for all the sleep in the world."

"Alright, alright," I relented. It was against every tradition we had regarding royal babes, but how could I deny her right to be a mother after she laboured for two days to give me a son and our kingdom a prince? "But only for the fortnight we agreed upon and only if you are still managing. I will not have you run yourself into the ground, Vali."

"I won't when you don't," she countered with a grin. "I saw the way the nobles were after you at Martin's presentation. What are they whispering in your ears now?"

"They are just concerned over certain beasts holding a grudge. Nothing for you to worry about, Valina."

"Neron, again?" I nodded my response and flushed again when she switched Martin to the other side. "Matthias, how can I not worry about that- he backed an uprising against me when your father died and we were crowned…"

"And he can sit in his plains and drown in the spring floods for all I care," I assured her. "There is nothing for you to stress about, my dear. Let's stop worrying about politics and just enjoy our son." She sighed and tried to relax, but I could tell by the worried creases to her brow that she was still thinking about it.

"Vali, I'm serious," I pressed and forced my awkwardness aside so I could go to her. I gave her a kiss on the cheek before kneeling before her and rubbing her knees in a reassuring sort of manner. "Nothing is going to happen. The whole of Eutrusia is in revelry over our little prince. Gifts have been sent to him from all over the kingdom, nobles are coming to court to greet him and even the common beasts are toasting to his good fortune in the taverns at night. Let's simply focus on getting through this afternoon with him for Seasons' only knows what sort of mess I've gotten us into by ordering your servants away!"

At that she giggled and gave me that smile I loved so much. I stretched up and kissed her soft lips, chuckling when our son gave a snort of protest.

"Some beast is jealous," my wife snickered.

"Yes well, if I have to share you, then so does he!" I responded and looked down to see him staring up at me with an inquisitive look on his face now that his belly was full. "Come here, Martin," I said softly and lifted him from Valina's paws so she could readjust her loose gown. Giving him a kiss on his brow, I felt tingles of utter happiness course through my body. I loved being a father.

"Martin looks so much like you," Valina smiled and my chest puffed out with even more pride. "Even your mother said so when he was born."

"I know," I chuckled and started walking around her chamber with him. "When she came out of here and said I have a son, I asked her what he was like and she just took me by the paw and led me to a small portrait of myself when I was young. She said he was like me, but I didn't truly believe it until I saw him."

My wife gave a little ruffle of annoyance. "If you had been any other male, you would have been able to see Martin right after he was born. You should have been one of the first creatures to hold him."

"It's tradition for me to wait until after he is formally presented at court," I replied. "Royal protocol is that a royal son cannot be viewed by the father until a whole sun and moon have passed so the first crucial hours of life have passed."

"If that isn't straight out of your mother's mouth…"

"Vali-" I chided her. "What's done is done. It's passed and there's no sense in getting worked up over something that is immaterial. Besides- look it his little nose and whiskers!"

"Oh Matthias!" she laughed at me. "That's why you dismissed the servants- so you could gush over the babe like an old hogwife!"

"Maybe, but I'm still not as bad as your father was! To think he is such a softie after being so vicious on a battlefield- it nearly knocked me over."

"It is because of the battles he is like that," my queen recounted quietly. "You know the horrors there; I don't need to tell you. My father relishes in simple things and to see a beast so innocent and pure as a babe reminds him, reminds all fighters, that there is something more to life than slitting throats and chopping off limbs."

I nodded and chose not to say the things we both knew- that one day our son would know those horrors as would be his duty as a male and future king and captain.

"And if the day should arise, Martin," I murmured as I laid him down in his cradle again. "The Seasons will protect you from whatever ill path the Fates have conjured up for you."

My son just stared at me as if he understood my words and I simply gazed back at him.

_But not while I'm around,_ I reassured myself. _While I'm here, I will always protect you from harm._

"Is there a storm coming?" Valina's voice broke my concentration and I glanced over my shoulder to see her pulling on a dressing robe to walk out onto the balcony. The sheers were blowing inward with the stiffened breeze, but the sounds of the sea were still gentle and the sun shining.

"It didn't look to be," I declared and left my son's side to meet my queen on the terrace. There wasn't a cloud in the sky over the sea, but the wind was brisk and almost cold.

"It must be coming from the east," she observed and gestured up to the towers above us.

"Odd," I mused. Storms only ever came from the west, from the sea. It was very rare that any came from inland, and even if they did originate on the eastern coast, after travelling all the way across Eutrusia left them with little more than a sprinkle of rain. But this didn't feel like a sprinkle of rain coming. I went rigid, my muscles tensed and even my hackles started to rise on the back of my neck.

"Matthias?" Valina whispered when she noticed my changed demeanour. "Matthias, is something wrong?"

"I think we should go back inside," I responded in a flat tone, taking her elbow and leading Valina back into her chambers. "Let's go back to Martin," I added in attempt to cover up my angst. The sky rumbled its response and a chill ran down my spine.

I yanked on the heavy velvet curtains, drawing them across the opening to block the eerie winds while Valina stood protectively by Martin's cradle. When I was done tying off the draperies, I crossed the chamber and gave my wife's paw a reassuring squeeze.

"I just didn't want the cool breeze on him," I lied. Valina raised her eyebrow at my voice and I leaned against the upper railing of the cradle. Martin wriggled in his wraps and squeaked when another rumble of thunder rolled above us.

"He's unsettled," I commented plainly. _Both of us are._

"He just wants some free time," Valina smirked and pointed to the green silk blanket on her bed. "Matthias, will you get that for me and bring it by the fire?"

"Why?" I sniggered slightly as she picked up our son and started walking to the hearth. "I thought Martin was supposed to nap after he was done his feeding?"

"He is, but do you really think he is going to sleep once that storm blows in?"

"You should keep him on routine, Valina," I protested, but I still did as I was bid and laid the sheet over the plush rug. After all, Baron Crar had warned me during council to never argue with a new mother and I took his words as sound advice seeing as the sea otter had eight pups of his own. "No wonder you aren't getting any rest…"

"Oh, Matthias- really!" she exclaimed and gently placed our little son down. "I can rest later."

Thunder cackled all around us, echoing off the palace walls as large raindrops started pelting the leaded windows like battering rams. My pulse quickened and I clenched my teeth while the clouds grumbled again, resisting the primal urge to growl back in challenge. There was something about this storm that didn't feel right. The air was too heavy, the rain too hard; lightning flashed brightly across the darkening sky and thunder pulsed through the atmosphere as if the clouds themselves were just above the top spires of my palace. My instincts were alert and I struggled between keeping a calm appearance for my wife and son, and the urge to herd them into a corner to stand watch.

Turning my attention back to my new family, I gaped at the sight of a little bare-tail kicking his footpaws and waving his tiny paws happily at my grinning wife.

"Valina- what are you doing!" I gasped and pointed to the pile of swaddling bands that should have been tightly wrapped around my son. "He has to grow up straight…"

"He will, Matthias!" she assured me. "But he needs to grow strong as well. Look at him kick- he's so happy!"

"You're going to get me beheaded," I jested with her. "If my mother were to see this, she'd have Admiral Berg take us to sea and have us keelhauled!"

"Oh, you fuss too much," she chided me and pulled me down beside her on the rug. "You were the one making the big deal about wanting to just be a family this afternoon- this is what families do!"

I exhaled and threw another look at the windows by her bed. The gale continued its assault against the outside of the thick stone walls, but inside all seemed fine. A soft paw slipped under my chin and bowed my cheek back to her.

"It's just a storm, Matthias," Valina said softly. "What are you so worried? It's not like the Fates are going to march in here and..."

Lightning loosed like an arrow across the sky and wind gusted down the flue, flaring the fire and blowing ash and hot embers from the grate into the room.

"Martin!" Valina shouted and grasped our son to her chest as chunks of glowing coal rolled onto his play blanket.

"Valina, get back!" I snarled, pulling her and my son up and away from the smoke and cinder. I kicked the smoldering blanket off the rug and onto the marble floor by the fire, wrapping my arms around them as Martin let out startled squeaks and Valina shook in my paws.

"Matthias, I don't like this," she cried, her voice trembling as she curled in my chest and held our mouseling between us. It was growing darker- very dark. "Matthias..."

"Let's get Martin's blankets and go down to the lower levels," I commanded and jumped myself as a sickening snap of lightning forked through the sky, sending a blinding white light into the chamber. "Hurry, Valina."

I led her quickly towards the cradle to collect my son's things when the balcony drapes blew open with a sudden blast of wind, knocking over a nesting table and smashing a crystal vase filled with flowers in front of us. I snatched Valina back to me again and then pulled them both to the floor to shield them with my body as the window in front of us burst open and glass shattered and cracked around us. I winced as shards of glass sliced through my robes to cut my upper arm and Valina screamed and quivered beneath me.

"Keep his eyes shielded, Valina!" I ordered my wife and hugged them closer to me, ignoring Martins wails and Valina's gasps. "Keep Martin covered!"

Wind whipped around us, smoke and rain pummelled over me as thunder vibrated everything about the chamber and lightning snapped and twisted like wildfire. I was almost convinced the very roof above us had been ripped off, then with one final flash of light, the rain ceased and the wind died down. In a blink of an eye, everything was calm again and light from the sun slowly started to flicker across the chamber again.

"Your Majesties!" the footbeasts called and banged their fisted paws on the doors. "Your Majesties!"

"Valina, are you alright?" I whispered and loosened my hold on her, rocking back onto my bottom so I could see her and my son. "Is Martin alright?"

"I-I think s-so," she stuttered. Tears streaked her cheeks and her complexion was ghostly as she shifted her gaze between our son and me. "I th-think… Matthias!" she exclaimed and clasped a paw over my bleeding arm. "Matthias you're hurt!"

"Valina!" a sharp call sounded from the entrance as Captain Martin and ten other guards burst through the doors, their swords and spears at the ready. "Valina! Your Majesty!"

"Father, Matthias is hurt!" Valina cried and twisted behind her to order a footbeast into action. "Get a healer- the king is injured!"

"Easy, Your Majesty," the my father-in-law said softly as he knelt beside me, tearing his sleeve from his shirt and winding it tightly around my arm. "That will help until the healers get here.

"Are you alright, Valina?" he continued to question. "And the mouseling? Neither of you are hurt?"

"No," she answered. "We aren't hurt- just scared."

The aging captain narrowed his eyes and pushed himself back upright, barking orders for the Guard to secure the chamber. "Come on, Your Majesties- let's get you and the prince out of here."

I nodded and got to my footpaws, helping Valina up as well as the Captain continued with his commands. My son wiggled in her paws as she tried to pacify his protests with words of false reassurance. Behind us, there was stomping and splashing sounds as the guards extinguished the fuming patches of scorched hearth rug.

"Shh, Martin," Valina soothed, folding her robe over his little body while I pulled a blanket from a settle to wrap around her to cover her against the other males' eyes. "It's alright, little one. We're safe now…"

"Where did that storm come from?" I demanded as I slowly recovered from my initial shock.

"From the east, Majesty," one of the guards answered me while he tied back the balcony curtains to shed more sunlight into the chamber. "I've never seen anything like it, sire. Sky was clear one moment and then black as coal the next. Couldn't see the eastern spires of the palace for rain and the wind! - the wind blowing from the west would pick you right up if you weren't hanging on to something!"

"But you said the storm came from the east," I countered and tried to gain control of my numbed body. "How could the wind blow from one direction and the storm approach from another?"

"I dunno, sire," he shrugged. "It's like I said- never seen anything like it."

"Send a herald to Lord Admiral Berg," I commanded. "I want to know if there's been any damage to the ships."

"Yes, Majesty."

"Matthias," Valina breathed and clutched our son tighter to her chest. "Matthias- the cradle."

I was frozen as I looked at the scene. Feathers blew gently on the turning air from where a window iron had impaled itself in her mattress where she had been lying, but it was the vision in front of me that made my blood run cold as ice water. Speared in the center of my son's cradle was a banner pole, its royal standard singed at the edges and the shaft broken at the half mark. Valina started to shake violently beside me and I held her tighter to keep her from collapsing.

"Captain!" I called and took Martin from my wife to place him in the strong arms of his grandfather before I scooped her up in my paws. "It's alright, Vali," I mumbled in her ear, fighting panic in my voice. "Martin's safe. You're both safe."

She pawed at my face and pressed her forehead to mine. "Only because you are here," she confessed quietly. "If you hadn't come to visit us… Matthias, Martin and I would have been sleeping there!"

"The thunder would have woken you up." I tried to lie to her, but my mind was reeling with my own thoughts. If I had been held up at council or even listened to the advice of her pawmaids to leave her undisturbed, my wife and new mouseling would have been killed. Had Valina not argued with me over the flux in Martin's routine, I would have watched my son speared by a pole. Had the wind not blown the vase over to hinder our advance, all of us may have been slaughtered.

"I'll take the prince to the nursery," the captain said sternly. "Your Majesty- you need to see a healer…"

"No!" Valina cried and held her paws out to her father. "No, father- give me Martin- don't take him to the nursery… he needs to stay with me. I have to stay with Matthias… we…"

"Shh, Vali," I lulled, sitting on a nearby settle so she could take our son back into her arms. "Nothing is going to happen to him. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to either of you."

More beasts flooded into the room; pawmaids, servants, guards and even a few nobles entered into the commotion, gasping and mumbling hushed whispers between themselves that were neither helpful nor wanted. All I focused on was my wife and son, and how I could keep them safe against something I not only didn't fully understood, but something I could not control. Luckily for me, Captain Martin and Lord Ulran took control of the situation, ordering all beasts away that were not absolutely necessary and summoning carpenters and glass fitters from the village to repair the damage down to the queen's chamber. Every so often I would voice an opinion, but they were becoming more incoherent and forced as my mind continued to replay the frightening events and how close I had been to losing the two things I loved more than anything in the world.

"The healers are waiting for you in your chambers, Your Majesty," a herald informed me and I snapped my head around at the unfamiliar voice.

"Er, I… yes, yes, of course," I recovered. Adjusting Valina and Martin in my arms, I grunted as I lifted both of them and held them against me.

"Your Majesty, put them down," my father-in-law said in a low voice. "I'll watch them…"

"No," I replied and breathed in deeply when Valina snuggled deeper into my shoulder. "I can't leave them." And with that I left the chamber before any beast could argue with me or try to sway me away from the ideas starting to formulate in my mind. My arm was throbbing from my efforts, but I didn't care. I couldn't put them down; I was only able to be as calm as I was because they were safely in my paws.

I didn't put them down until I was in my private chambers where I laid them on my bed and covered them both with heavy coverings. I took my own sword from the hooks above my mantle and sat with it in my paw while the healers cleaned my cuts and bandaged me tightly. I would be ready to defend them in any way I could and as childish as it was, having a blade in my paws helped me believe I could. I was not a warrior- I did not welcome combat- but I was a father and I would protect my family against anything that would bring it harm without a second thought.

After that day, Valina and I began to share our chambers. The thought of her alone in that cursed room at night made my stomach twist and once she was done her fortnight with Martin and a suitable wet nurse was found, he moved quite easily into the royal nursery without complaint. Every night I slept beside my wife with my sword close to paw and every time there was a storm, I sprang from my bed and trotted down the steps to my son's chamber where I would lift him from his cradle and hold him gently in a chair by the balcony; where the wind, the arms of the Seasons could protect us as it did before. Once the storm was over, I would lay him back down into his large silverwood crib and pull the silken sheets back over his body just to watch him kick them off again.

The nursemaids warned me I would make him scared of storms, but I knew I wouldn't. My son was scared of nothing; that I knew. It was I who was terrified of them; terrified I would lose them to those sounds of shattering glass and blinding flashes of light.

* * *

**Well, I hoped you liked reading this little segment about Matthias. He is a very complex character to write for he strides along two different paths between what he wants to be and what he is (this is more apparent in the second part of his segment). For any interested, Matthias, Valina and Martin have a little theme song which I play whenever I write a scene with just the three of them: Sleepsong by Secret Garden. **


	6. Power

**So, I know I promised a Gustaff segment here, but to tell you the honest truth it just isn't materializing. I thought I could write something that was a bit witty, but I've got a bit of block up for that stuff right now. It might roll out eventually, but don't hold your breath. Sorry to those expecting it.**

**But this is an interesting little tidbit. Darker than the others posted to this companion piece so far, we look at the character of Lady Ulyssa Neefray of Eurus. She is a product of the times unfortunately, being that she has been bred, cultivated and groomed towards fulfilling a certain role in life, and once that 'dream' slips away from her, we see how emotionally and psychologically its screwed her up. This chapter may be a bit disturbing to some readers (no, there's no 'M' rated stuff, but it is strongly implied).**

* * *

**Power**  
_Lady Ulyssa Neefray of Eurus _

_"__Patience is power.  
Patience is not an absence of action;  
rather it is "timing"  
it waits on the right time to act..."  
_- Fulton J. Sheen -

* * *

The shadows are darker where the light shines brightest. Or at least that is what an old crone in the market once told me.

I was a mere fifteen seasons old when I left my family's baronial castle of Calsley to accompany them from Eurus' capital of Lysium to the southern state of Seldor where the seasonal State Feast was being held. Normally my noble father, Baron Neron Neefray of Eurus, would attend these proceedings without his entire family, but this time it would be more than a simple feast- the future Etifeddes of Eutrusia, the bride of the crowned prince, was to be chosen. It is only natural that my parents would command that I accompany them and my brother as well. There would be tournaments for Ulran to compete in and bring further honour to our already great name and I… well, I had to be in attendance for my presentation to the realm after all. Since I could remember my father had vowed I would be a queen and now was the time for him to keep his promise.

Words could not explain my excitement as I dressed for my presentation as the future Etifeddes of Eutrusia. My lady mother, the Baroness Orinda, oversaw my dressing and chose my jewels from her own personal collection. She insisted on emeralds, the gem of our state, and within moments I was alight with green and silver sparkles that mirrored the sterling grey gown which flowed about my body in countless layers of organza and silk. My light gray fur sparkled like the purest silver and my nearly white headfur shone like a beam of sunlight. I knew I looked stunning. I knew I would command the attention of all in the Grand Gallery- even that of the studious Prince Matthias Etifedd.

"You look fit to be a queen," my mother said quietly and placed a kiss on my forehead.

I lifted my head higher and let out a delicate peal of laughter. "Fitting as I will be one!"

There was a slam of a door. And then another followed by loud steps stomping their way towards our apartment's solar. My mother and I turned as my lord father flung the door open and sneered at us. We both dropped into a low curtsy before him.

"Father," I said sweetly when I rose and dipped my head in respect for him. "Is it time we left for the…"

He interrupted me with a snort of disgust and strode to the sideboard to pour a glass of wine- which he down in one gulp and promptly refilled.

"My lord," my mother began. "Is something the matter?"

Father leered at me and licked the red drops of wine from his whiskers. "Yes," he said plainly.

We both waited patiently for him to offer more information before he startled us by shouting curses and bellowing for my mother's pawmaids of all creatures.

"Lady Ulyssa's gown is not appropriate for this evening," he informed them when they entered in a rush of flustered aprons. They gawked at each other with his statement.

"How so, Neron?" Mother demanded. There was offense in her tone and it was well deserved- she commissioned the making of my gown from her own design which the tailors praised in whole hearted agreement its superiority to any that would be found at court.

"The bodice is not tight enough," Father chortled, grabbing my dress from behind and pulling the fabric tight across my body to cease my very breath. "And the neckline is too high." He let go of me and looked at the servants. "Drop the neckline. A full paw-width."

"That is unacceptable," Mother countered. "Neron, Ulyssa is noble maiden, not some piece of tripe showing her ankles around the alleys. She cannot be dressed in such a fashion."

"She is my daughter and if I say she is to dress in nothing but her shift soaked in seawater- she will!" he roared. "Make the alterations," he barked at the pawmaids before turning back to his drink. "And let her headfur down. Brush it long, flat and weave it with silver and diamonds."

"My lord, that is no way for the kingdom to view its future Etife-"

"No, it's not," he chuckled at the irony of it all. "But then Ulyssa is not going to the presentation as that."

I gasped as a servant yanked on my gown strings, pulling the corseted bodice to the point of rib crushing. My mother glared at him.

"You said it was a certainty."

"Only one thing is certain in his world, my lady."

My mother spared a moment to look me up and down before gliding over to the beverage tray and pouring herself some wine; drinking it down painfully as if it were the liquid form of hours, days, seasons, nay years of my preparation for a moment that would now never come. She grimaced. I suppose it's true when they say disappointment is bitter tincture to swallow.

"And what is that, my lord?" she said dryly.

"Me." My father now stared directly at me and I watched him speak words that were filled with promise and poison alike. "I am the only thing that is certain in this whole kingdom and before I am through they will all know it. Mark my words, a Neebray will sit on the throne of Eutrusia one day, but in the mean time I am going to parade my daughter under the nose of Matteus' whelp and watch him wriggle like a worm at the sight of her. He already hates the idea of his future bride being a commoner; I want him to loathe her for not being the beauty he could have had."

"A c-commoner?" I gulped. I must not have heard my father properly. Prince Matthias could not possibly be betrothed to an untitled maiden.

"Oh, yes," Father chortled and smiled as my mother poured herself another goblet of wine. "That's it, Orinda- drink. We're all going to need it to get through this meal."

* * *

It took me an hour of walking around our State Apartment to get used to the restriction my gown pressed on my lungs. From one end of the solar to the other I walked, pausing only when I got dizzy and quietly training myself to breathe up and down with my shoulders, rather than in and out with my chest. I was finally starting to master the motion when my brawny brother entered from the receiving room. Immediately, his 'I-just-won-another-tournament' smile fell from his face and he scowled at my appearance.

"Good afternoon, Lord Ulran," I said, practicing a combination of speech and curtsy execution on a half breath.

"That's not how the gown looked on the tailor's model," he stated and placed his prize, a silver chalice studded with sapphires and pearls, down on a sideboard. "What did they do to it?"

"Father suggested some adjustments," I replied. "You won the match?" I observed with family pride and he completely ignored my question.

"You can't go into the feast looking like that, Ulyssa," Ulran sighed. "Sister, you look like a harlot." He never was one to sweet-coat words with me.

"This is how Father said I should look."

"The future Etifeddes of Eutrusia- looking like a…" he wisely did not finish his sentence. "Ulyssa, you need to go change."

"Not at all," I derided with a flick of my wrist; the same motion as I had been schooled to give a drink bearer once they were done filling my cup. "Father wants-"

"To parade you around like a trophy?" His tone was cold and harsh. "The king and queen will not approve."

"I am not concerned with them anymore."

"You haven't the tiara on your brow yet, sister," he reminded me with his painful ignorance.

_"__You know nothing."_ My words fell harder and more deadly than his sword and mace ever plummeted on an opponent and silenced him quicker than a death. "You know nothing of what is happening and yet you stand in front of me and ridicule. You are secure, wealthy, _set_ in your future and yet _you_ _know nothing_."

He merely blinked at me. "There was a different maiden chosen."

"The king made his decision and Father was reminded of who holds the power in this kingdom," I spoke the harsh reality of our situation. "And I have no power; I am only a pawn."

"This won't be the end of it," Ulran predicted and I resumed my walking. "No," I agreed. "This will only be the beginning."

He watched me for a moment more before exhaling deeply and shaking his head. "There are other suitors out there besides the prince, Ulyssa. Don't let yourself get dragged down by Father's spite."

I stopped to observe my brother. Since taking up residence at Ruarden Manor to rule his own estates two seasons ago he had pulled away from our father slightly. Having power, even the small power of a lord, had changed Ulran and he actually thought to exercise his brain from time to time. Foolish was that older brother of mine. Did he not recall we were children of the Baron of Eurus? We were not there to think for ourselves or grasp at whatever _power_ we had because of titles or land our father _gave us_. We were there to do as we were told when we were told and how we were told to do it.

Still, I felt he deserved a response. "I am dragged down by no beast."

* * *

Creatures gawked at me as I walked with my family towards the Great Gallery of Palace Vasilis for the presentation of the Etifeddes. No beast dared to snicker or remark at my style of dress or state of my loose headfur, but I knew what they were all thinking. Incredible. Whether in a good or bad context, that word was in every beasts' mind and I hung onto that word to keep me striding forward with my head held high. Incredible. Yes, yes, I was.

I did not lower myself to watch the commoner stumble her way up to the dais and I certainly did not listen to the words the king spoke or those of his son for that matter. I instead focused on the stares and whispers about my attire. Females shook their heads and their tight lips spoke fie on my exhibition while the eyes of every male undressed me for their minds and their tongues clicked in their cheeks. Even my brother noticed and cleared his throat, puffing out his broad chest to shield me while he flexed his arm muscles in silent reminders of the beatings he had dealt them all earlier that day during the tournament.

After the display, we were ushered into the Feasting Hall and my father arranged the nobles of Eurus around us at our table. My mother sat in as if carved in stone, staring at the dais where the new would-be Etifeddes was placed in what should have been my new seat.

"Neron, are you not going start a toast to the maiden?" I heard her whisper. He did not even hesitate or turn his heard when he answered, "No."

_And so it begins,_ I thought to myself and watched Ulran shift on his chair and hold his cup in the air for more wine. He was obviously against my father in this decision and it stung me slightly that he would so easily dismiss the snub given to our family, given to me. After two more cups and three courses of lavish food later, I saw what caught his eye. It scathed me to see him ogling at her like a fool and her to not even notice his distant attentions.

"Ulran, stop it," I muttered to him and kicked his footpaw under the table. "Stop staring at her. Who is she anyway?"

"Uh, who?" he stammered and shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"The maid over there- sitting with the Wesrus nobles that you keep watching."

"Princess Dalila," he mumbled with a hint of wonder. "I mean, Lady Dalila of Naesbrey Manor- Lord Aaron's wife."

"Wife?" I laughed. "You mean _daughter_."

"Hush up," he hissed at me. "They'll hear you."

"Both of you be quiet," our mother said in an imperious whisper. "Ulran- that is a married maid and you are already betrothed to Lady Caralyn, whose own father is here somewhere. Keep your stares in check. And Ulyssa-" she began and turned her attention to me. "Save your venom for your dreams."

That was my mother's way of saying to hold your tongue.

I did not want to hold my tongue. I did not want to be quiet. I wanted to yell at him…

_"__Ah! Ulyssa!" my father called as he came into my nursery, his face wreathed with smiles and arms outstretched to me. _

_ "__Father!" I cried and dropped my palette and brush on the table beside my canvas. "Father- you are home!"_

_ "__Yes-" he said as I performed a sweeping curtsy which far surpassed expectations of my seven seasons. "How is my future Etifeddes today?"_

_ "__Very well, my lord Father," I proclaimed formally, gaining his approving nod. "I have been painting you a picture."_

_ "__And what is that, my princess," he grinned. _

_ "__My future," I giggled and pulled him forward to my easel by his paw. "Just as you told me it would be… See. I'm the Queen and this is my husband the King and there you are and Mother and Ulran…"_

But that wasn't my future. It was a broken promise, a whisper carried away on the wind never to return. Thoughts of bringing my family into the realm of royalty dashed against the rocks of reality as if they were waves of the sea. My whole life felt like a waste and I hated myself for it. I hated that I hated, but I did. And worst of all I hated that I could not do anything about it. I hated that I had no power when two bells ago I should have been the one to be… rescued. Could they not see I was drowning? That I needed to be saved? Was I not as fair as she? As desperate as she? Did I not deserve my happy ending?

Bile rose in my throat and I forced myself to swallow. At least I had control over my body. It was the one thing I could command, could control, could exercise power on… with…

As if in a trance I rose from my family's feasting table and made muffled excuses about going for air on the terrace. My Father excused me, making a blatant remark about walking slowly past the royal dais. I nodded. I had planned on going past there on my way out anyway.

Along my way, I had five noble mice rise up and ask if I needed an escort. I relished in their attention, but declined them. At the sixth one, I grew bold and whispered a meeting place in his ear at the first bell. His eyes grew wide for a moment, looked me up and down and then he gave me a crooked smile like he'd already had me. Fool. He would brag to his friends about his anticipated conquest of me, the beautiful daughter of the Baron of Eurus, and it would get back to my father and within a week this poor syr would find himself with a knife at his throat in a darkened alleyway. But fool as he was, he was my 'alibi.' I almost felt bad for him. Almost, but not really- he was nothing to me.

I slipped in front of the dais, in front of what should have been my future family, and curtsied to one in particular.

"Ah, Lady Ulyssa," King Matteus said pleasantly and snapped his claws for me to arise. I stretched up slowly, taking care to breathe deeply so my chest would threaten to heave out of my bodice. His eyes flickered with desire. The spider spotted a fly and I smiled sweetly at him. "I trust you are having a splendid visit to the capital, my lady?"

"I am, Your Majesty," I assured him. He waited for me to say more and my blood rushed at the realization I was being desired by the King of Eutrusia. The feeling made me bold. "I have heard of its beauty, and by tomorrow I plan on seeing for myself why beasts call it huge and masterfully sculpted."

I barely said two more words to the king before his eyes narrowed into a carnal gaze and then I understood my power and how to use it to my advantage. I would no longer be any beasts' pawn. I would no longer be powerless, but powerful. And in the early bells of the day, when the entire kingdom was asleep, I proved it. I may not have been good enough for a prince, but for a brief moment in time, I was good enough for king.

* * *

**So a bit disturbing in parts, but I thought it made sense to post this chapter now seeing as what we're coming up to in ****_The Red Prince._**** This might help readers understand the whole strain that is about to happen there. **

**Just for interest sake, my inspiration for Baron Neron actually came from a study I did on the War of the Roses, in particular the role of the Kingmaker, Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, and he is very heavily influenced by that historical figure. Ulyssa is inspired by Isabel Neville, Warwick's eldest daughter, who married George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, in hopes that George would 'steal' the throne from Edward IV and Isabel would become queen, as was Warwick's overall ambition for his family line.**

**Sorry for the bit of random history drop, but I thought it would be interesting for some readers. **


	7. My Family

**Alright, a bit of a fluff chapter here, but it's cute all the same. Before the next series of events happens in The Red Prince I need to post a few chapters here so people get a better scope of the characters' emotions in the scenes to come- mostly the father-son relationship between Matthias and Martin, but you'll see what I mean over the next couple updates.**

* * *

**My Family  
**_His Royal Highness, Prince Martin Etifedd of Eutrusia_

_"__One word  
Frees us of all the weight and pain of life:  
That word is love."  
_- Sophocles -

* * *

"Look out beeelloooowwww!" I yelled as I stomped my footpaw down hard on the rocks to catapult myself off the ledge and into the swirling surf below. The moment my paws lifted off the stones I spread my arms out wide, smiling at the sea breeze whipping my ears and briny spray tickling my cheeks. For a brief moment in time I was flying- soaring high above the sea, the kingdom, the whole world.

I counted two moments in my mind and then arched myself down, pulling my arms into a 'v' above my head and stiffening my whole body so I was straighter than a pike. The next instant, I closed my eyes and folded back my ears just as the tips of my claws broke the surface of the ocean. Like an arrow I shot through the waters, opening my eyes only once my momentum ebbed and I stretched out my limbs to suspend myself in the cool depths. Rays of sunlight beamed down in silvery white streams, reflecting off the specks of ocean life and the sand etched rocks flecked with coral around me. I stayed suspended in the sea and watched the waves rolling beneath the rise of the ocean; I loved watching them fold over and over again and hearing the whooshing noise it made when it washed through me like I was nothing more than a ghost- a phantom of long ago.

When my lungs screamed for fresh air, I lifted my arms and pushed them and my legs downwards in a singular motion, beginning my ascent towards the surface. I broke into the air with a tremendous gasp, not realizing how thirsty my lungs had been until they got the opportunity to breathe again.

"Martin!" my father shouted and I looked back to see him wadding into the shallows- two otter guards in front of him getting ready to swim out to me. I grinned and waved at him, laughing at myself when droplets of water fell off my paws and into my eyes.

"Ahoy, Da!" I called back, mimicking some sailor jargon I'd picked up on yesterday during my time on the wharfs while I waited for Da to finish discussing things with our new Fleet Admiral Daelahn.

"Great Seasons, Martin- what were you doing?" he admonished me and pointed at the rock cliff. "You said you were jumping off the _low_ ledge." I didn't answer him and continued to tread water. "That's the _high_ ledge you jumped off of!"

I smirked and looked back at the great wall of stones jetting up from the shoreline. Holding my paw to my forehead, I shielded my eyes from the sun and glanced upwards, grinning wider the further I had to rock my head back to view the top. Aye, it was high.

"I'm okay, Da!" I said with carefree pride dripping from my words and rolling onto my back to float upon the water. "It's not that high!"

"Not that high… Martin, get over here and back into safer waters- _now!"_

I scowled up at the sky. I didn't want to muck about the shallows. I wanted to be in the deep water where I could dive and swim and… just be free. I heard Da bark some sort of command over the sounds of the ocean, but I wasn't really listening to him; I just kept staring up at the clouds and remembering feeling like I was flying again. That was at least until I heard two splashes- one on either side of me.

I didn't even turn my head to look at them. "I don't wanna go back to the shallows," I grumped and kicked my footpaws to send me further out to sea.

"Now, Prince Martin, ye 'ave ta," the old sea otter said plainly and swam beside me. "Ye father's orders, Highness."

"It's boring in the shallows," I whined and snorted my frustration. "Can't you and Heath stay with me out here, Shaffer?"

"'Fraid not, sire," the younger replied for the elder. "Naw- see know yar mother be standing up too…"

"Shuck a clam," was my juvenile attempt at a cursing while I rolled back over to tread water again. "That means they're both going to get mad at me."

"Not if ye come in easy like, Your Highness," Shaffer winked. "'Sides, I think I saw some spice cake out on t' blanket fer ye."

"Yeah!" I exclaimed and pumped my fist into the air. "I knew Mama would pack some!"

"Well, ye can't eat it out 'ere, now c'n ye?" Shaffer chuckled. "Now, c'mon. Let's git back t'shore."

I raced the otters back and laughing as they let me win. I knew I was a strong swimmer- Shaffer had taught himself- but I had nowhere near the speed an otter did.

I waded across the shallows, waving as the two guards stepped back into their positions away from us and came up in front of my mother and father. Both of them were clad in their bathing clothes and of course, Da's stern look and Mama's carefully hidden smirk.

"Did you see me win, Da?" I beamed. "They let me win, but-"

"Martin, what were you doing jumping off the high rock?" My father always jumped right into the fray when it came to my well-being. "You could have hit your head, or broken a leg, or…"

"Da, I'm fine," I drawled out and rolled my eyes. A trait I inherited from my mother that irked him for reasons I didn't truly understand. "I knew I could do it."

"You're being over brave, Martin," my father chided me. "That rock ledge was too high…"

"Is not!" I laughed. "I see beasts jump off it all the time."

"Older creatures, yes," he defined. "You're only seven seasons old, Martin."

"Oh, Matthias!" Mama gasped and rolled her eyes at him as well. "Will you two stop bickering- you're both making _my_ ears hurt." Turning her attention on me, she gave me a stern stare. "Not so high next time, Martin."

"Yes, Mama," I giggled, knowing full well she didn't truly mean it. She always encouraged me to do daring things- would only make me braver, she would always say. But that of course was when the _Great Worrier_ wasn't around, or so we called Da.

"Mama!" Malina called from the center of her fortress stronghold. I snorted with laughter at the sight of her encircled with white sand piled up to her nose. "Mama- I s'uck!"

"Oh, Malina," she sighed and sloshed through the water to go to the princess. "What have you done?"

"I builds t' walls too 'igh!" she exclaimed and held up her paws. "I 'illed inna door by mis'ake."

"Valina- wait!" Da cried as Mama bent down to pick Malina up. Trotting over to them, he gently guided her back. "You shouldn't be lifting anything."

"Matthias, I'm fine-"

"You can never be too careful," Da smiled and lifted the princess into his paws and settled her on his hip. "And you promised me not to overdue yourself, remember?"

I smiled as I watched them, the rest of my family. It wasn't often that Da got away long enough from meetings and audiences with nobles imperative to ruling our kingdom, but when he did Mama would always insist we did things as a family. Just a plain, simple, run-of the mill family. No fuss. No grand processions. It didn't matter if it was a picnic on the beach like today, a stroll through Aurelius' market to take in a puppet show or a going to the Grand Library and Archive Chamber where we could pick out stories for Da to read us later that evening after a private supper; whatever it was, it was just us.

Oh sure, there were guards around the beach and we were within the shadow of Palace Vasilis, but they gave us a wide berth and didn't interfere at all- unless of course I did something like swim out too far, but that was just minor things really. Looking over at the stretched out blanket on the sands, I licked my lips and let my stomach growl at all the food display around the cloth. Smoked fish fillets, peppered shrimp, fennel salad with tarragon, fresh oranges and peaches, roasted figs with honey… anything you could ever want to eat and one large spice cake with sugarcane frosting centering the whole thing… just for me.

"Food," I said slurping my salvia behind my teeth. "Da- can we eat now?"

All three of them laughed at me.

"Mar'in al'ays 'ungry, Da," Malina snickered.

"Yes, between him and your mother, I'm surprised there's any food left at all in Vasilis." Mama gave him a swift whack on the shoulder. "What?" he said with playful innocence. "You're both supposed to be eating- you're both growing."

"Hmm," Mama mused and headed their walk over, winking at me as she approached. "They're just jealous, Martin," she said to me. "They're just jealous we eat them both under the table!"

"Or picnic blanket!" I jested and held out my paw to help her down onto the cloth. Mama exhaled as she descended, her free paw resting on her curved belly.

"Thank-you, Martin," she smiled at me. "What a good little mouse you are."

Da ruffled my ears and nodded to me when I looked up at him. He had told me I had to watch out for Mama for him while she was carrying and always help her when I could. He couldn't always be there for her and told me that she would always try to do too much. _Not while I'm around_, had been my response.

"When are you expecting Dalila and Ulran from Eurus," Mama asked Da, pouring him a cup of cordial.

"Another few days or so," Da said absentmindedly. He wasn't watching us anymore, but staring over Mama's shoulder at something. I followed his gaze and sighed at the gathering of advisors and chancellors trying to reason the guards into letting them past. There were already five of them and no doubt more would be along shortly, meaning Da's time with us was almost over. "How did they find me?" he grumbled under his breath and Mama turned, her own shoulders slumping at the sight.

"Can they not leave you along for an afternoon?" she muttered. "Matthias- please, this is supposed to be time with us…"

"I know, Vali," he sighed. "Just ignore them- the guards will hold them at bay."

"I don't want to be viewed like a convict, Matthias," she retorted. "Can't they wait for us in the Gallery or… somewhere else?"

"Malina, do you want to try shrimp yet?" Da asked, changing the subject completely. Taking a bit of one from the platter, he added. "They're very good…"

"Nut-uh," she groaned and scrunched her face up in disgust. "Yucky."

"Good, more for me," I elated and stuffed two in my mouth.

"Martin, manners," Mama reminded me and rubbed her belly happily. "Malina- quick dear, give me your paw."

The princess bounded over the salvers and trays, knocking over the pile of peaches with her tail as she jumped passed.

"Easy, Malina," Da said, gathering up the split fruit. "It can wa-"

"Baba don wait, Da!" she interrupted him and all but fell on Mama. "W'ere, w'ere?" she stuttered holding her paws out wide with the palms turned in towards my mother's belly. She looked better posed to snatch a trout from the river than feel a mouseling move.

"Right here, Malina," Mama said softly and positioned the princess' paws on her stomach. "See, dear. That's the baby playing."

"Wow," she mouthed and I slide up beside them.

"Can I feel it too, Mama?"

"Of course, Martin!" she nodded and I happily placed a paw gently on her tummy. It was an interesting feeling to know that something alive was growing inside her and when we were alone like this, I could show my interest, as 'maidish' as taking an interest in babes may have been.

"Mar'in, ta baba movin'!" Malina exclaimed and pressed her cheek to Mama's swell. "'Ello, likkle 'un. 'Ello in 'ere!"

"Not so loud, Malina," Mama said and gently pulled her back by her shoulders. "The mouseling can hear you just fine without you shouting." Looking up at Da, she chortled, "Its extra excited today."

"It's because we're at the sea and he likes the sea- like me!" I crowed. "He's going to love the sea and we'll have swimming races and diving competitions and-"

"Nut-uhn," Malina argued with me and shook her head so ardently all of her curls bounced out of her bather's bun. "I' gonna be-a _she. _'N _she_ gonna like makin' sand cas'les wit me…"

"It's going to be a male!"

"Itta mai'en!"

"Is not!"

"I' too!"

"Oh, will both of you stop!" Mama laughed and gently pushed us both onto our bottoms on either side of her. "The mouseling will be whatever the Seasons have decided and we'll all have to wait another season to see what it is." I gave a smug smile at Malina and she stuck her tongue out at me, gaining us both ear flicks from Mama. "And I won't have the pair of you fighting over it either!" she snorted.

"Your mother's right," Da proclaimed and knelt down in front of us. "Besides, how do you know it's one or the other? It could be both!"

"Huh?" I questioned and crinkled up my nose. "It can't be both, Da! A beast is either one or the other."

"No, no, Marty," he chuckled and pointed at Mama's rounding belly. "It could be two mouselings in there. Maybe a male _and _a maid."

"T'ere's _two?"_ Malina gaped and clapped her delicate paws. "Real-ee, Mama?"

"Oh, Matthias," she breathed and exhaled an exaggerated sigh. "The things you come up with."

"You could be having two," he smiled. "Look how large you are already."

"Why did you spit in Mama's wine twice, Da?" I asked, rolling back onto my bottom and hovering my paw over the buffet while deciding on my next morsel.

"Spit in your mother's wine-" he guffawed. "What- Martin, who told you that?"

"Syr Donovan told me and the other royal wards at archery practice," I shrugged. "He told us that's how babes were made after we overheard Syr, erm… the big otter with the buck tooth?"

"Syr Galvin."

"Right, Syr Galvin bugging one of the new sergeants- Olan, I think his name is, you know, the Deodar one- anyways, he has to get married now because he and a squirrelmaid are going to have a pup-"

"I think I need to have a word with Syr Donovan about the talk going on in the Tilt Grounds when you young ones are about," Da said sternly. "How did a lesson with twine and fletch turn into a discussion on _babes?"_

"Well, Aetric-"

"Lord Aetric," Da corrected me.

"But he's my fellow ward, Da. Why do I have to call him _lord?"_

"He is two seasons your senior which alone commands your respect enough to address him properly."

"But I'm a prince-"

"And how many beasts are going to respect you if you show them so little respect you do not use their name correctly? Why should a creature revere a prince who does not acknowledge a lord?"

I thought for a moment, processing Da's sage words. Sometimes I thought he had an answer or correction for everything.

"I suppose," I confessed. "So, _Lord_ Aetric asked Syr Donovan how come Sergeant Olan is having a pup if he's not yet married, because beasts are supposed to be married to have young ones, and Syr Donovan said it's because Olan was at the tavern this maid's father owns and well, he spit in her cup by accident. She drank it and now she's got his babe in her belly."

"I see." Da mused and rubbed the back of his neck. Mama shrugged her shoulders and gave him a coy smile. "I guess I must have _mistakenly_ _spit_ in your cup, my lady."

"It would seem that way," she giggled. "I'll have to keep my _chalice_ away from you next time."

"By the 'Gates you will," Da affirmed and kissed her paw. "That chalice is mine."

"Uh, Da?" I mumbled as the two of them rubbed noses. Mushy stuff. Yuck.

My father cleared his throat and moved away from mother. "Yes, well, I still think I should have a talk with Syr Donovan about the talk about the yard…"

"Aw, Da- the talk is fine," I grumbled. "It's _male stuff._ It's a nice change from all the courtly manners we have to keep all the time." A memory entered my head and I slapped my knee to complement my giggle. "Like the first thing Thomis does when we reach the field is fart!"

"Martin!" Mama gasped and Malina stifled her giggles. "Really, Martin- this is not something you discuss over lunch."

"But it's true!" I continued to laugh. "We males don't mind."

"Then keep your _male_ practices and chatter to the Tilt Grounds," Mama said firmly, but she still had a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, Mama," I relented and took a bite of peppered shrimp. "You still didn't answer me, Da?"

"Answer you what, Marty?" and he raised his goblet of cordial to his lips. "What was your question again, son?"

"Why did you spit in Mama's wine twice?"

Dad smirked. "Because I'm that good, Marty."

"Huh?" It wasn't at all the response I thought I'd get from him and was utterly confused by it.

"You'll understand when your older, son."

"Shhh," Mama hushed us and pointed down on her lap where Malina was curled into a little ball. "She's sound asleep."

"It is getting late," Da whispered and nodded to the sun starting to make its descent towards the ocean skyline. "I guess our time out here is almost done."

"Can I go for one more swim, Da? Please?" I pleaded.

"Well…"

"I'll give you my slice of spice cake," I tried to bargain. "Just for half a bell more? Please?"

"I have a better idea," he muttered. "See that rock spiking up over the reef?"

"Yes."

"I'll race you there and back. Whoever wins gets the _whole_ spice cake."

I leapt to my paws and stood at the ready. "One…"

"Go!" Da yelled, sprinting off ahead of me across the sands and into the shallows, but I was hot on his tail, leaping onto his back when he started to swim so I tagged along. He laughed and dove under the water, trying to shake me off, but when that failed, he just came up to the surface and swam slowly to the rock and back with me cuddled on his shoulders.

"Da, when the new mouseling comes, will we still get to do things as a family?" I asked, watching Mama preening Malina's curls.

"Of course we will, Marty!" he said between breaths. "There will just be more of us, that's all."

I paused for a moment. "This one's not going to… I mean, this one is going to stay right?"

My father stopped swimming and tread water; unclasping my paws from his neck and holding me in front of him.

"No, Marty," he said firmly. "I won't let this one leave us like Matteus did. This one is going to stay."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Martin. On my life, I promise."

"Okay, Da," I nodded and flung myself around his neck. "Love you, Da."

"I love you, too, son."

* * *

Malina and I would never know those siblings. My father had been right- it was twins my mother was carrying. Twin maids, or so I overheard a pawmaid tell a footbeast after mother went into labour a full season too early and they were lost to us, a mere two days after our day at the beach when Da promised me the babes were going to stay. At first I was sad and then angry and then I didn't know what to think.

Mama and Da promised Malina and I there would be other ones. Mama wanted a large family, Da kept assuring us and he was going to give her the large family she wanted. So, we waited for the others to come and they did- but we wouldn't know them either. Two more times- one too premature, the other a stillborn- both males that would have been my brothers followed over the seasons and solidified us into a close family. Through the joys and the heartaches we stayed close; pulling together and leaning on each other for strength and support, taking turns being strong or brave or whatever we needed to be at the time we needed to be it. Because that's what family is, that's what _love_ for your family is: Being strong, solid and unwavering.


	8. Early Mornings

**First, thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: Thomas the Traveler, Shadowed One 19 and krikanalo.**

**Second, minor "M-rated" references and adult content here.**

* * *

**Early Mornings  
** _His Royal Majesty, King Matthias of Eutrusia  
Part II_

_"__Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have."_  
- Lemony Snicket, _The Blank Book_ -

* * *

I rolled about my feather bed, ignoring the short darts of pain from my war wounds and the threads burning around the cut above my left eye, groaning and reminding myself with every movement that I was alive. Alive and far away from the cursed waters of Ormere where I and the Royal Guard brought the Ironheads to heel, showing Lord Ardney again who held supremacy over the Western Sea. Lord Admiral Daelahn crushed the fools at sea with the fleet while the Royal Guard and I laid low the rest of the insurgents on their own rocky beach. That insubordinate hedgehog had to bend his knee to me in his own son's blood, a feat that would remind him over and over again the might of my kingdom. He would think twice before crowing Eutrusia weak because we had no grown Captain of the Guard yet to lead my forces, raise my banners. And now the battle was over, the victory won and I was finally home to claim my prize.

Below me Valina moaned in gasped chuckles, biting her bottom lip, arching to me, driving me mad with her sighs and claws raking at my back. Closer she pulled me and I was too happy to oblige. How I loved homecomings with her!

"Matthias!" she called and panted in my ear. "I've missed you."

"Not more than I missed you," I murmured and rolled us over again. "Oh, Vali…"

We continued our lovemaking in the dawn light, the sound of the sea in our ears and the smell of burned out incents fluttering about the air. I had been too long without her… a fortnight was too long to be without my wife. I had been around death and war, and now I wanted life, craved making life, thirsted for making a life that only she could give me; and Seasons knows I was going to make that life grow inside her by the next full moon if I wasn't the King of Eutrusia.

There was a slight creaking sound and I grinned at the noise. We were going to break the bed- again. It urged me on and I doubled my efforts, burying my face in her ebony tresses. She smelt like lilacs in spring and her headfur was soft as a mouseling's fur… ah, I was so close…

"Matthias," she purred in my ear, her body as pliable to me as the finest spun silk. "Matthi-"

"Mama- Da must be home!" a voice exclaimed with a rustle of tossed aside fabric. Valina went rigid as rock beneath me and twice as cold. "Stop… Matthias, stop!" she cried and pushed my shoulders up and away from her to halt my motion. My own mind was mush with slow comprehension.

One word escaped my lips, "No…"

"_Agh- GROSS!"_

My eyes must have grown to the size of shields at the declaration and judging by Valina's horrified expression, my initial instinct of the intruder's identity was correct. Glancing slowly over my shoulder, I sent up silent prayers to the Seasons that I was wrong, but to my misfortune, my fourteen-season old son was standing a mere ten paces from my bed with the tapestry covering the doorway of the secret passway held up high in his paw. He was like a stone statue, an aghast expression marring his features, his snout and lips curled back like he was going to retch. Meeting my eyes, he averted his gaze and his face flamed to the deepest crimson.

"Eww…" he shuddered and allowed his broadening shoulders to try swallowing his head and neck. "You two are… that's disgusting…"

"Martin!" I exclaimed, reaching back and hauling the covers up around my wife and I. "Martin- what are you doing here?"

"I saw the trunks in the corridors," he confessed, blurting out the words like fire. "I came to tell Mama you were home…"

"That I was home?" I gasped. "Just… ah Martin- get out of here… _Now!"_

I didn't have to tell him twice (for once) and he ducked under the arras, pulling the hidden door shut behind him with a familiar _creak_. I gawked in disbelief at source of his retreat for a good twenty pants, all feelings of lust extinguishing from my body and the awkward realization that my son had seen me together with his mother pressed heavily on my shoulders.

Rolling off Valina, I groaned at my denial of much needed release and the returning reminders of painful wounds. I took both my paws and pressed their palms to my face in incredulity of the situation. Of all times for Martin to have used the passways… of all times for him to come into our chamber…

Beside, Valina burst into laughter and I removed my paws to gape at her. "What in the name of the Seasons are you laughing at?"

"I can't believe that just happened," she gasped and pulled the covers up over her nose, hiding everything below her eyes. "I thought you said you had the entrances guarded?"

"I did!" I affirmed. "I told the footbeasts we were not to be disturbed- how was I to know the lad would us the passways… or be about this time of morning?"

"Because Martin has always risen with the dawn," she giggled. "And he's always used the passways to go places- you know that!"

"I just… aw, Hellsgates."

There was a discomfited silence between us as we both processed the occurrence further.

"Matthias- you have to go talk to him."

"Me?" I chuckled, rolling onto my side and propping myself up to look at her. "Why me?"

"Because you're his father!" she stressed. "You can't just let Martin see _that_ and not talk to him about it."

"And what am I supposed to say- 'Er, sorry son. I was just having a good rut on your mother…'"

"Oh, Matthias, there's no need to be gauche," she simpered. "He must have been up early to go about his duties and saw your things… he would have been excited you were home from battle and now he's…"

"Scarred for life?" She wacked me on the shoulder. "Well, I'd wager he's going to think twice about sneaking into any beast's chambers again."

"Perhaps, but you still have to go talk to him."

"Can't you talk to him about it?"

"Me?" she laughed and sat up, the covers clutched at her chest. "Isn't that a conversation that a father and son should have?"

I took a lock of her long headfur and played with it, weaving it around my fingers. She clasped my paw lightly and focused my straying thoughts. "Matthias?"

"I wouldn't know-" I sighed and got up out of bed. "I never had that kind of conversation with my father."

I could tell by her face she didn't believe me, but I was telling her the truth. Nervously, I cleared my throat and limped slightly over to the sideboard to pour myself a drink of cordial.

"Oh- you are such a liar!" Valina chortled and flopped back against the mound of pillows. "Your father was a-"

"Lecher?"

"I was going to say an _experienced_ mouse, but if you want to throw around terms-" her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "You mean he never talked to you about… not ever?"

"Did yours talk to you about it?"

"Don't change the subject," she chided me. "And yes, my mother did… and my father tried before you and I were married."

"Your father tried talking to you about mating?" I gulped down my drink and leaned on a nearby armchair.

"Unfortunately," she mused and her eyes were alit with amusement. "He rambled about indirect references for a bit and then finally plucked up his courage and just said you'd be gentle with me."

"What sort of references?" It wasn't like I was to really know about their awkward chat, but if she was going to insist I talk to my son about this, I was going to need some sort of guidance in this matter.

"Oh, you know my father," she snorted. "Always reverted to battle talk, so it was the standard sword and scabbard metaphor…" she rolled her eyes at the memory, and then turned sombre. "Wait- you are truly serious, aren't you? The late king never talked to you about it?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" I asked and picked my shirt up off the ground to toss over my head. "No, he didn't."

"Then how did you… I mean on our wedding night you knew what to…" Now it was her time to blush.

"It's not really that complicated, Valina."

"No, but you knew- ugh, he must have told you something."

"I'd rather not talk about it," and I went about the room lighting candles. It felt good to be home again after spending the better half of a month either in a ship's cabin or in a battle tent. When I turned back to the bed she was still laying on it, her arms crossed over her chest impatiently waiting for me to explain myself- had the position allowed for it, she would have been stamping her footpaw. "Why are you so curious about this?"

"I'm curious because you're avoiding this so much," she chuckled. "Matthias, you are redder than an apple in autumn."

"It's hot in here and I was kind of in the middle of some exertion if you don't remember," I said playfully.

"Can't remember a thing," she tittered and I grumbled a laugh at her. "Can't remem- ah, you're in trouble now, Vali."

"Matthias- no!" she laughed and curled her legs up when I pounced on top of her again. "Not until we talk and then _you_ go talk to Martin."

"Are you denying me?"

"I'm bribing you," she winked. "A reward if you finish all your tasks."

"I'll talk to him- just let me finish with you first…" I nuzzled into her and started kissing her neck, grinning as she gasped and wiggled in my arms. If I could get her blood racing again she would forget this whole business and I could…

"No, Matthias." She slid up the bed away from me. "You're not tricking me. Now talk."

I huffed my displeasure. "Fine, though I don't see how it's anything of consequence."

"Because if I know what your father told you, I will have an idea of what you will say to Martin," she replied matter-of-factly. "And if I know what you have said to him, if he comes to me asking more questions, I'll know what to say."

_If only my father had used words this would be a lot easier,_ I thought before bravely facing the question. I don't know why I was nervous to tell her, we had always been open with each other, but I was. "When I entered my fifteenth season I came to my chamber one night to find a note on the door from my father."

"He wrote out… instructions?" she guffawed.

"No," I shook my head. "It said only one word on it- _Enjoy._ When I opened my door, there was a maiden lying on my bed with a ribbon tied around her waist."

All humour feel from her face. "O-oh," she fidgeted. "So you… had paws on training." Even in her embarrassment, she was still able to say something witty.

"Not exactly," I grimaced, rocking back away from her to sit on the edge of our bed as my own flush blistered my cheeks to a crimson that would have rivalled my son's.

"What do you mean _not exactly?"_ Valina pressed, adding to my discomfiture that she was so eager to learn this bit about my past. "You mean you just sat there?"

"Can we not talk about this?"

"What's there to hide- it's not like you got her with child or-" I turned my head away and she gaped. "Matthias, you didn't… I mean you don't have a…"

"No, Valina." My response was firm and without question. "I most certainly did not do that."

She breathed a visible sigh of relief. "Then what did you do with her?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I do."

"You want to hear about me with another maid?" The idea was ridiculous to me. Seasons, I had only been home at Vasilis for three bells and this was not what I had envisioned myself talking about or doing for that matter.

"I want to hear about it because you are avoiding it so much. What are you hiding from me?"

"I hide nothing from you, Valina. You know that."

"Then why…"

"If you must know I gawked at her like an idiot for half a bell before I finally came to my senses and handed her my robe to cover herself up," I blurted out and relief waved over my wife's features.

"So you didn't…"

"Not that time, no," I mumbled. My face felt like it was on fire. "I was only fifteen seasons old; I didn't know what to do with her."

"So you just dismissed her?"

"No, I couldn't do that," I relented. "She had orders from my father to make me a full mouse and if she were to leave that quickly… she was terrified of his displeasure. I… I sat her by the fire and we, talked."

"You just talked?"

"For a time and then I," why was this so hard? "I eventually taught her how to write her name."

"Write her name? Oh, Matthias!" My queen broke out into hysterics, laughing until she had to pat away tears away from her eyes. "Only you would do that when placed in that situation."

"Well, I… see this is why I never told you."

"Because you showed compassion above lust?" Valina scooted herself over to me and laid her head on my shoulder. "What possessed you to teach her to write her name?"

"She didn't know how," I confessed. "She couldn't read, couldn't write- she didn't even know her letters. All she knew were coins and how to count to ten and that simply because she had claws to count on.

"She had nothing for herself and did only what she could to survive. She… she made me realize there was more to being king than just sitting on a throne to rule noblebeasts actions. There was a whole kingdom out there that was working to survive, working to keep us comfortable and without them, what were we? So instead of being another thing she had to do, I- I gave her something to be proud of."

"You told me that when we were first engaged," Valina mused and snuggled closer to me. "You said a beast must take pride in themselves for the kingdom to work… even if it was a simple task."

"Yes," I smiled and felt my blush leaving with her support. "I will never forget the look on her face when she made her first letter. It was like I gave her the keys to the treasury."

"Perhaps in a way you did."

"I like to think so," I said plainly. "Now, do you see why I don't really know what to say to Martin? I never had any beast tell me about it… it's just something that I sort of picked up on along the way."

"Yes, that you did," she sighed and patted my knee. "You'll be fine- just let him ask the questions."

I nodded and got up to gather the rest of my clothes. "Well, I'd better get to it then so we can finish what we started."

"I'll be waiting," she grinned and cuddle under the warm covers. "Just don't be too long, Matthias."

"Why?"

"Because I'll be here waiting with my own bow on," she said coyly. "And I don't need any instruction on how to write my name."

It took all my strength to resist the urge to fall on her again, but I didn't and somehow managed to pull on my tunic and slip into the passways to go to my son.

* * *

"Regtalis ap gountal-en… gontulen… goitenal…?" The sound of Martin reciting ancient Deodarian made me chuckle as I opened the secret door to his chamber and saw him pacing in front of the fire with an old scroll in his paws. He must have been flustered indeed to pick such a text that would demand his full attention in attempt to take his mind off his thoughts.

"Regtalis ap gountenal," I corrected him, causing him to start at my voice. "Regtalis ap gountenal, fey cominna moi," I continued, finishing the phrase for him.

"I know that," he muttered and let the parchment roll back in his paws. "I was… I was just practicing."

"Is Master Keron giving an assessment today?" I asked, trying to make small talk with him as I shut the hatch and walked past his silverwood desk and gilded casement holding scrolls, trinkets, tomes and various daggers and wrist guards for his archery. His interests really were a jumbled mash of culture and warlike arts, just as he had been born to be.

"Not exactly," he sighed. "It's just for myself."

"Ah." I nodded, pausing at the line of furniture cresting opposite his hearth. "Your initiative is commendable, Martin."

"Thank-you," he mumbled and scuffed his footpaw in a childish manner. "I… I wanted to let Mama know you were home, Da- that's the only reason why I came into your chamber," he spat out as if a dike had broken and the words flew from his mouth like raging water. "I didn't know you would be… I didn't know you and Mama would be… that you two… I didn't… I should have knocked… I-"

"Knocking may have been beneficial, yes," I sighed and sat down on a lounge, motioning for him to sit beside me. "I only just arrive at port a few bells ago."

"I didn't hear the bayhorns blow."

"No, I borrowed Baron Ulran's barge and rowed the Eu to get home sooner rather than accompany the fleet back to harbour." He accepted the fact with a tilt of his head and I anxiously rubbed the back of my neck with my paw. "Martin, do you… I mean- is there anything you want to talk about?"

He just stared at me. I tried again. "Do you want to ask me anything?"

"About the battle?"

"Well, later perhaps, but about other things."

"About what?" he drawled out in a guarded tone. _"That?"_ I nodded and he made like he was going to retch again. "Aw, Hellsgates, no."

I breathed a sigh of relief before a new realization hit me. "So you, you know what your mother and I were doing?"

"Da," he groaned out painfully. "I don't want to talk about you and Mama _mating."_ He shuddered his last word.

"You know what ma-" I had to take a breath to continue. "-mating is?"

"Uh, Da," he said mockingly with his eyes half rolled in his head. "I'm not a mouselet anymore."

_So much from him still thinking maids conceived off spit,_ I thought to myself. "Apparently," was my reply. "How do _you_ know about mating?"

"Lord Tomen told us," he shrugged as he rhymed off a royal ward two seasons his senior. "Tomen's brother Lord Birchall just got marriage while you were away at war to Lady Josephine and Birchall told Tomen all about the wedding night."

"I see," I drawled out. Wonderful. At least Martin was the youngest out of that particular grouping to hear the information, but unfortunately it meant I had a gaggle of lordlings coming into their own age of wealth and titles who on top of self-proclaimed importance they now knew what the bits between their legs were for. Fantastic. Still, I tried to focus on the task at paw. "So, you don't have any questions?"

"I don't want to think about it, Da," he muttered. "I mean I just saw my… ew! That's so gross."

"Martin," I chuckled. "It's part of being male."

"Seeing your parents _mate _is part of being male?"

"No, no," I stumbled over my words. "The act of… you know."

"Yeah, but I didn't need to see it!"

"No, I suppose you didn't." We sat for a short time in silence; Martin looking at his footpaws while I gazed out of his balcony into the growing light of the morning. "Well, if you don't have any questions, I'll leave you to your studies," I said and rose to my feet. "If you think of something, I'll be ready to answer-"

"If you and Mama were mating does that mean she's going to… have another mouseling again?" he said softly, still looking down at his toe claws. "I mean, that's what mating is for right- to make babes?"

_One of the perks,_ I thought but didn't vocalize. I could tell him more about the feeling part when he was older- right now, he just needed to know the facts. "Possibly, Martin."

"But they just break her heart," he whispered. "They just leave her and she cries for days, mourns for weeks… why would you want to make her go through that again, Da?"

I sighed and sat back down on the lounge. I hadn't really expected him to ask that kind of question. I had been readying myself for the embarrassing 'where do I put it' or 'how does it work' type of inquiries. I hadn't been thinking about the emotional questions that may arise with this conversation, though I wasn't truly surprised. At fourteen seasons, Martin had always acted older than his age and thought with a lot more foresight than most beasts five seasons his senior.

"Martin, your Mama wants more mouselings as much as I do," I started. "She has always wanted a large brood of young ones-"

"She has Malina and me," he interjected. "And we at least aren't going anywhere; we won't leave her and make her feel like she's dying again."

There was more hurt in his tone than I wanted to hear. The last few seasons had been tough on us all; first with Valina loosing the princesses and then another prince. It was evident in his tone, my son was still grieving their losses. "I know, Marty, but we want more children."

"But Mama was so depressed last time, Da," he tried to reason with me. "She didn't smile for a month after she- can't you two just be happy with Malina and I?"

"We are happy, Martin," I stressed, "but we are doing this for you also. You are our only son and as such have a lot of responsibilities- duties that will all fall on your shoulders. If you were to have a brother it would lessen the burden on you."

"You didn't have a brother."

"No, but I only had to worry about being becoming a king," I asserted and slid my paw beneath his chin to raise his eyes to mine. "You will have to manage being a king and a captain. It is a lot for a young mouse to bear."

"But I don't have to become king until you… I mean, becoming king is a long way off," he said. "And I can't go to war until I've at least started training with the Guard so I can't act as captain…"

"And what if I had died in this last battle, Martin?" I was blunt, but we needed to have this talk. "If I had fallen in the field, you would have been crowned King of Eutrusia and _everything_ would have been placed on you."

"You aren't going to die, Da."

"Eventually, we all do, son," I sighed and put an arm around his shoulders. "And I, with your mother, am only preparing for that inevitability. When I make my way to the Dark Forest and you become king of the realm, you can sleep easier knowing you have a brother to lean on for support. Some beast to act as regent in your stead should battle call you away, be your stalwart at council when the barons scheme and another to carry on the family line should you fall before making your own son; a beast to be by your side to the bitter end- whatever the Fates deem that end should be."

He shifted on his bottom and looked to weighing my words carefully. "Going to battle makes you see things clearly, Martin," I began again to stress my point. "When you are at peace you can look to your wants and desires casually and without necessity, but when you are at war, when death is in your very shadow, you start to look to your needs and see the path to get them. The Waves of Ormere made me realize how much you will have to deal with, how much pressure is placed on you to succeed and survive. I guess I want you to have an extra pair of shoulders to help rest that weight on."

"The Waves of Ormere?" he said with a puzzled expression. "Don't you mean battle?"

"I will not give that filth the honour of calling it a battle," I snorted in disgust. "No, son. It is simply called the Waves of Ormere and that is how the bards will remember it in their tunes."

"Were you scared?" my son questioned and pointed to the stitched cut above my eye. "You got injured."

"Minor injuries, yes," I breathed. "And yes, I was scared, Martin- I was scared I would never see you or Malina or your mother again. But fear can make us brave."

"How?" His expression changed to a concentrated frown. "How would fear make you brave?"

"Because if you fear nothing, than you must love nothing," I smiled down at him. "And if you love nothing, what have you got to be brave for?"

I pushed myself to my footpaws and stood in front of him. "It is not always the cowards that run, Marty, but the beasts with nothing to protect but their own hides. To love something means you will give your life to protect it. It means you will stand between whatever it is and the threat to its safety. Fear that your love may die will give you the bravery to face down the very thing that created the scare."

He nodded his acknowledgment and I took a cleansing breath to feel our conversation coming to a close.

"Well, I'd better get back to your Mama," I said, painfully resisting the urge to smirk. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Okay, Da," he replied and I turned to leave. "Da?"

"Yes, Martin?" I paused and looked over my shoulder. "What is it?"

"Next time there's a battle, I want to go," he said determinedly. "I want to fight by your side for our kingdom."

"Do you now," I inhaled slowly, fatherly fear rising in my chest. "We'll see how you military training goes first, Marty."

"But you won't let me train with the Guards yet."

I fought the voices screaming in my heart to not speak the words, but it was time he grew up. "When you enter your fifteenth season, you may start on the Tilt Grounds in formal training."

"Really?" he gasped in disbelief. "You're serious?"

"Yes," I said firmly. "It was time you took a step towards your fate. If you are to be your grandfather's successor you need to be trained in battle… and whatever other gifts he passed down to you."

"Thank-you, Da!" he said, giving me a laddish grin. "I won't let you down."

I shuddered a breath at his enthusiasm and dipped my head in a single motion, turning to leave and go back to my chambers. The idea of Martin in war was not sitting well with me and I had a dark sense of foreboding lurking in my stomach. War had focussed my thoughts indeed- it made me realize Martin's future as a Captain of the Guard and the dangerous of leading a charge into battle. He could very well die in combat and not only would I have to entomb a breathing child with the others, but I would live to see the end of my line. I couldn't let that happen. First thing was first- I had to get back to Valina.

"Oh, Martin?" I said over my shoulder when I reached the forth square of wainscoting from the left of his balcony. He perked his ears to show he heard me. "Next time you use the passways, knock or call out before entering my chamber."

* * *

**So, an awkward father-son moment here with Matthias and Martin, but you should see a lot more depth to Matthias' character and the seeds of strain planting themselves between him and Martin, though they are still quite close here. How that strain explodes will be explained in the next couple of updates here and you'll see how they came to have the love-hate relationship they displayed at the beginning of _The Red Prince_ and reasons for things to come in those chapters next... Words of Advice- remember Matthias' words to Martin about fear and bravery. ;)**

**Now, if you're not too embarrassed about their awkward situation- please review! :)**


	9. Deleted Scene: Father First, King Second

**This is a deleted scene from the chapter "Of Titles and Daggers" from _The Red Prince _describing Matthias' morning after returning from the Battle of Wesrus. It's just cutesy and has no real bearing on the story itself (hence why it was cut), but I'm cleaning up my folders and didn't want to delete it entirely, so I'm posting it. :)**

* * *

**Father First, King Second  
**_Deleted Scene from the Chapter "Of Titles and Daggers"  
Told from the Point of View of King Matthias_

* * *

I was drifting in the blissful shadows of sleep. The blissful shadows of sleep in a warm feather bed after two weeks of sleeping on a war cot dressed up to look like a bed, to the sounds of the sea instead of clanking steel as guards made their patrols, to the scent of incents and perfume instead of iron, rotting wounds and blood. But more importantly, I was sleeping to the feel of a beautiful maid with her back pressed against my chest, my paws wrapped around her to hold her nearer and her very tail wound around my leg as she would never let me go again. Gone were the war tents and the battle cries, the armour and the courage to stare down death; all that mattered in my world was her- my wife, my queen, my love. Yes, I was sleeping a very contented mouse indeed.

Slowly, I was coming round with the dawn and cursing my habit of always waking with the sun. Why could I not sleep in, just this once? Somewhere between consciousness and sleep I heard him…

_"__Psst._ Da," the little voice whispered behind me through the confines of my sleep. "Da- you awake?"

_I'm dreaming_. I groaned and cuddled closer to my wife. _It's just a dream…_

I heard a soft huff and the padding of footpaws down the platform and around to the other side of the bed so he was facing me.

"Da… _psst."_

"No," I mumbled out, letting go of Valina and rolling over away from the voice. Once more I heard the huff and the pawsteps, only this time there were no words that rebuffed my movement, only a dip to the mattress and puffs of warm breath upon my face with a small paw tapping me on the shoulder. Slowly, I opened an eyelid to stare into the determined blue eyes of my son.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed, leaping up onto his footpaws. "Da, you're up!" The way he reacted, you'd think he just found the lost treasure of Rattery-Mink, or whoever his imaginary pirate nemesis was that week.

"No," I moaned and closed my eye again. "Still sleeping, Marty."

"But Da-aa," he whined and stooped to his knees again, quickening his patter on my shoulder until he was kneading on me like bread dough. "It's morn-ing…"

"It's not," I argued and felt the bed shake slightly beside me as Valina tried to hide her laughter lest our son think she was awake too. "It's still dark out."

He stopped shaking me and I'm sure gestured to the balcony or window or something to illustrate his point. "Is not- sun is coming up."

"Marty- bug your mother," I mumbled. The bed instantly stopped quaking and I then fought the urge to laugh. _Aha! Got you…_

"Mama's asleep," he protested.

"So am I."

"If you were asleep, you wouldn't be talking to me." The mattress puffed up momentarily as he flopped his bottom back down beside me. "You're talking full sentences and everything."

"Sleep-talking," I grumbled out with a large hint of frustration. "Martin- go back to bed, son."

"But I can't sleep," he complained. "You promised to take me out on _Mawredd_ today." I felt the mattress shift again and heard him slip down onto the floor. "Here- I'll get you some water and…"

"Martin, the Admiral himself won't be out of his nightshirt yet!"

"That's okay," he said determinedly. "We can start getting the ship ready and by the time he's dressed, it will be time to set sail!"

"Marty- I said no- it's too early." I really don't know why I was arguing. I was awake now anyways, but I suppose there is an unwritten fatherly law that says we can't give into their reasoning every time; just as there is one for sons stating they must always, always push the parchment… no matter how innocent or in good faith it may be.

"But Da-aa…"

"Oh, Martin- enough!" my wife cried and twisted under the blankets to look into our son's beaming face. "Your father said not yet."

"Aww…" he whined, flapping his arms against his sides like a fledgling seabird being denied an attempted flight. "It's not fair," he pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Da promised."

"Martin," she began and stretched up out of bed. "Your father said he would take you out on the ship, and he will, but let him rest. Remember, he's injured."

"Yes, Mama…"

I opened my eyes and watched as Valina walked over to our son and reminded him of his manners, her long nightgown trailing behind and her headfur falling to the floor like an ebony cape. By the Fates, she was stunning and even after all our time of marriage my love for her had not diminished, but grown- and so had my son! In only the fortnight I had been away in Wesrus, he had shot up like a weed, all arms, legs and tail; gangly and awkward as all lads are at twelve seasons old. Great Seasons, had I missed them!

"Martin, is Malina up yet?" I asked and groaned my way into a sitting position. My muscles were still throbbing from battle exertion and heavy bandages were wrapped around my left paw, thigh and chest, making motion a thing of mental determination.

"I don't know," he replied and grinned to see me up. "I took the passways."

_Of course, you did,_ I mused, _that way you wouldn't get caught and be sent back to bed._

"Well, I think we should wait for Malina to be up before we start bothering your father about going out on the ships," my wife tried to reason with him. "Besides, the healers will have to see to him before he goes anywhere."

"Aw, Mama, can't you just look after him?" Martin questioned. "The healers take such a long time and I can go get Malina up."

As if on cue, there was ruckus on the outside of our chamber and I heard a footbeast yell, "Not yet, princess!" and then…

"Daddddyyyy!" she cried and sprinted to the bedside in a blur of bouncing curls and swirling purple skirts. I barely had time to laugh and my queen didn't even get off a word of caution before Malina bounded up onto the bed and into my arms. She landed with a thud on my chest. I should have gasped at the streak of pain that bolted through me, but I couldn't feel anything but joy with my little princess in my arms. "Is it time? Is it time- can we go on _Mawredd_ now?"

"Malina- easy on your father," my wife chided her. "Really you two- you know he's injured, give him some time, please…"

"It's all right, Vali," I sighed and held my arm open for Martin. "Come here, son- let me hold both of you."

"Da," he grumbled and rolled his eyes. "That's cubby stuff."

"And you're too mature to give your ol' Da a hug now, huh?" I smirked and he nodded. Ah, my little princeling was growing up. "How about a pawshake then?"

"Okay," he relented and walked over to me with his paw out. "That's more- hey, Da! Agh!" Before he knew it I had him pulled into me, turned around and in a head lock. "Not fair- lemme go, Da!"

"Too old to hug your father," I chortled. "Well, young prince, show me you're old enough to get out of this and I'll never ask you to hug me again!"

"That's easy," he struggled and twisted trying to push my arm from around his neck. "You're not that strong- you just push a quill all day. I just have to… ugh… uh…"

"Easy, huh?" I sniggered and even Malina was giggling in my other arm. "Come on, Martin- you said you wanted to be a warrior."

"I will be!" he grunted, bracing his legs and wrenching back like his head was stuck in a jar.

"Not back, Martin- down and forward," I instructed him. "When you pull back, my arm goes down, trapping you in; when you go forward, it goes up and out you come. Now, push down and roll forward into it."

My son fought for another few moments before listening to me, crunching down to his knees and forcing himself into a front tuck. My grasp loosened and he was free, rising and looking triumphant.

"See," I winked at him. "I may know a few things about battle and combat, Martin. I didn't always push a quill around parchment, you know."

"Charcoal?" he jested and I gave him a swat in the right leg. "Ow- Da!"

"Too slow, son," I snorted. "If I had a sword in my paw, you'd be getting fit for a stump."

"Nut-uh," I said clasping his paws around the handle of his imaginary sword. "Because I'd block your strike like this, and this- and then counter it like this, and that and lunge and-" he froze in his series of attacks and looked up at me with a like blush. "I mean- I'd stop you."

"Indeed," I mused and turned my attention to the whole family. "Well, we're not going to get much sailing done here. Martin, Malina- wait in the presence chamber while your Mama and I get dressed. Vali- help me off of this bed."

* * *

**I warned you it was fluffy, but I can't help it- I like writing juvenile Martin and bouncing carefree Malina. :)**


	10. Eutrusian Lore: Part 1

**Alright so here's the deal with this little tidbit. We've reached a part in _The Red Prince_ where things are going to happen that I'm not going to be able to completely explain in narrative. That being said- Malina has graciously offered to read some passages from Matthias' lore translations so readers can begin to understand the Eutrusian "religion" and "superstitions" as it were. Like great fantasy authors, such as Tolkien, Lewis and Martin, I have strove to create a complete world with Eutrusia and in that, it's own lines of beliefs. I have many of these little pieces that might pop up from time to time as things need to be explained besides the 'just trust me' or 'just because they do' kind of author-reader responses. Anyways, I'm bumbling a bit, on to the narrative!**

**Disclaimer: I do not pretend to lean on one particular 'religion' for inspiration, etc. I actually came up with this all on my own, though I will admit my years of studying classical Greek and Roman mythology may have leaked in from time to time. Anyways, what I'm basically saying is I am not endorsing or slighting any religions out there with my adaptation here. Also, this is not meant for theological debate, so please don't use it as such. :)**

* * *

**The Telling of the Seasons: Part 1  
The Story of Kohle and the Rising of the Badger Lords**  
_Eutrusian Lore narrated by Her Highness, Princess Malina of Eutrusia_

* * *

In the Dawning Days, all creatures of the world lived in harmony; woodlander and vermin alike, they made their way through life on the great landmass so creatively known as _the mainland._ For centuries the beast of the mainland prospered, settling in steadfast homes and villages from north to south, east to west, always working together in peace and kindness.

They worshipped two deities: the Seasons and the Fates. The Seasons were responsible for the rising and falling of the sun, the changing of the weather, and the overseeing of the land. They lived in the atop a mountain said to float upon a cloud directly beneath the sun; do not look for it- to stare at the sun long enough to make out the structure will render you blind as the Seasons' penalty for you trying to look upon those who are only there to observe, not be seen. In the foothills of their mountain is the Dark Forest- dark for it lies in the shadow of the Seasons' mountain, forever blocked from the sun's light and the souls of the dead to dwell in a perpetual twilight and watch their progeny thrive and grow with the Seasons' grace. The Seasons were also the weavers of the Great Arras of Life- a tapestry depicting the lives of beasts since the beginning of time. The threads they used were beams of light from the sun, forced out from the opposite side by the Fates. Sometimes a thread can fall off the Arras before it is completely woven into the tapestry and is lost in the mists of the cloud, or the Seasons' Mist as some prefer to call it, streaming downwards towards the land, the creature's contribution to the Arras forever lost, its tale forever hidden. To the common beast it looks like a bolt of rainbow who had forgotten how to curve; to the educated it is called parhelion- but regardless of who you are or your status in life, when one spots it in the sky, you crinkle your footclaws up, flip over a coin in your pocket and clap your paws to let the Seasons know you are still there and not hiding. But I digress slightly here.

The second deity the creatures of the mainland worshipped was the Fates. These dark and mysterious idols dwelt behind the sun, their stronghold forever hidden in the shadows as they spun thread for the Arras. They decided the amount of thread, a creature's length of life, and its colours and textures- qualities bestowed and strengths held. It was the Fates who gave life and decided when it should end, but it was the Seasons who determined the manner of demise and how it fit into the Arras. The only way the Seasons could interfere with a creatures' length of life was if in a battle, where life itself hung in the balance of a blade. If a beast was woven to fall, the Seasons would hold up its thread to the sun and singe the line apart. But this was extreme and the Seasons rarely exhorted this power, careful not to tread on the Fates divine rights.

Once it completed a spool, the Fates would cast the line out through the sun- the gateway between the two houses- and the Seasons would begin to weave the new life into the Arras. It is during this time in Eutrusia, the astrologers search the stars for the name of the newborn royal and once its identity known, the prophets can use their third eye to follow the light beam through the gates and look upon the life the Fates have given the creature. Incredulous as it sounds, in all the centuries for foretelling, since Doron the Blind charted the twelve seas of the sky and the White Ones, our prophets, were given sanctuary from their massacre in Palace Vasilis, the two have worked interrelated to give nearly flawless accounts of the royal family's posterity-until one; but his story is complicated.

Together, like the woodlanders and vermin, the Seasons and the Fates were as one, a good working partnership; but like all good things, it does not last forever.

Beasts concentrated their prayers to the Seasons, the fruits of its labour visible to the common creatures' eyes- good harvests, ample water, harmony, correlation: Everything working together towards a better life. Soon births were associated with the Seasons, since it was they who weaved the Arras, the hard work of the Fates to create the thread forgotten to all but a few who remembered their lore, and within a short time, all that was associated with the Fates was death, for the fault of a lost life fell on their shoulders- they who ended the beasts' thread of life.

The Fates became jealous of the Seasons and though it did not skirt from its duties in creating life, it sot for a way to remind the creatures of the land that they were the bringers of life and bestower of qualities, and should be viewed with as much ardent reverence as the Seasons were. In the shadow of the sun, the Fates plotted and waited, buying their time for the right moment to retaliate. Phrases such as "Beware of the dark," and "The brightest lights cast the darkest shadows" all stem from this seething vigil. Beware of the dark. If only the Seasons had been mindful of such an axiom.

The Fates spun a thread- a strand pulled from the blackest corners of the night sky where not even the stars dare to light. Through the sun the line was tossed and onto the Arras. The Seasons, not truly knowing what to do with such a dark colour, decided to weave shadows into the depiction of a small village; in particular to the home of a young couple of pine martens. In the brightness of the midday sun, the martenwife gave birth to her first born; but instead of the traditional brown and tan colouring, the newborn pup was black as night. For his fur colouring, they called him Kohle. At first the Seasons watched this odd line, but as more threads came, brighter colours to play with, the Seasons lost track of the black shadow and Kohle's line fell from the Arras into the mists.

The young couple adored their child. Kohle's father, a water carrier whose job was to bring water to the village every day from the river, spent all his free time with the cub and tried to teach the youngster to be fair to his fellow villagers. The marten pup was quiet and reserved, preferring to watch the others run and play from the shadows for which he was teased. As he grew, Kohle became increasingly interested in his mother's dry-house, a shed at the back of their home where she hung herbs and plants for her role as the village healer. At first his parents were elated- Kohle was finally engrossed in something meaningful and his mother began to teach him the healing arts. He began to practice making concoctions, ever pushing for the herbs she hung on the tallest rafters, where she kept plants used to make poison, until one day, he reached them.

After a day of being bullied, Kohle decided to test his tinctures on the family of the squirrel who called him names. Offering to help his father with the hauling, Kohle delivered the bucket of water to his nemesis, dropping a vial of belladonna into the liquid before knocking on the door to relieve his quarry. Within an hour, the family was dead.

Creatures pointed claws at the pine martens, blaming Kohle's father for the murders since it was he who brought the water to the village. It was here the lines of creatures began to split. Otters, mice, squirrels, moles, shrews, hares and voles rallied behind the victim's extended family, calling for the ancient law of death for death; however, the martens were not without their own allies. Soon, the villages' weasels, stoats, ferrets, polecats, rats and wildcats stood at Kohle's family's flank as they supported the marten's honour that he would never do such a thing. All seemed pointed towards combat until the village's resident badger- its largest and arguably wisest creature- defused the argument, claiming that he saw Kohle deliver the water, not his father. The badger suggested Kohle be outcast from the village, claiming he was a pest, a nuisance, a threat to the safety of others, _a vermin._ When a ferret exclaimed Kohle was one of them, the badger keenly replied, "then you too are vermin." And so the distinction between the two began.

The dissonance of the land attracted the Seasons attention and they noticed they had lost the thread of Kohle within the mists. Intervening before the fighting began, the Seasons weaved the _vermin_ to wander while it looked for the lost string- not allowing them to take root in a village until Kohle's thread was found and under control once more. By the time the Seasons located the strand, Kohle had grown so malevolent, so immoral, that he had twisted the marauding beasts into a horde of violent disturbers, bent on taking out their vengeance on _woodlanders_ for their displacement. Horrified by the chaos running over the mainland, the Seasons did the one thing it could do, the swiftest and most effective way to rectify the problem. Holding the threads of the disgruntled creatures named vermin up to the sun, the Seasons singed their lines, ending their lives as they dropped dead upon the ground, and casting their remnants into the shade of the moon, barring them from the pleasantries of the Dark Forest and cursing them to be forever in a new domain it named Hellsgates; a place where all those malice to go in their afterlife.

But the Seasons decision triggered the opposite of the desired effect; yes, the woodlanders rejoiced at their reclaimed safety, but the vermin revolted. They called the Seasons' actions unjust, snubbing the deity and turning to the only other one to worship, the only one who could bring them revenge, who could rightfully control death: The Fates.

Joyful to be receiving attention again, the Fates basked in veneration and sacrificial offerings; continually spinning darker threads for the Arras, more shadows, more hate. Creatures started to flee the mainland- forsaking it for the outer islands of the seas, desperate to leave in search of good and right again. In Eutrusia, the ancient families of Deodar and Bruinen can trace their ancestors back to these creatures, the first beasts of the island and aiders of the families Mecare, Neefray and Raul when they rowed upon the island's shores starved and half alive.

The Seasons were mortified at the disruption to tranquility and for every dark thread they burned in the sun, two colourful strands ceased to coil from the sun's rays; the Fates payment of the Seasons interference with life-strings.

The Seasons knew it would not win this battle- it could not fight the Fates, or the vermin alone. It could not wept tears of sorrow as it was forced to weave another village of peaceful creatures destroyed, watch as its beloved Arras of Life, once vibrant and colourful, be overrun by darkness; it needed something to fight for its cause, fight for peace- become its champion.

The Seasons chose the badger, strongest and wisest of the woodland creatures to be its protectors of the land. Picking out a particular family, a just and true bloodline of the Midlands by the name of Brock, the Seasons bestowed upon them a gift. A gift that would give them and their descendants the power to overcome the unfair odds the Fates were creating. A gift that would make them mightier than all other creatures in battle and drive them to such lust for enemies' blood their eyes would glow red: the gift of Bloodwrath. To distinguish the badgers- to single them out so creatures would know who to turn to in times of trouble, the Seasons named them Lords and created the Four Seats of the Seasons, built from the very land they were set to protect. In the north, Eurus was carved out from the rock and ice of the Northern Mountains; in the east, the Isle of Rainwreath was raised from the waters as a warning beacon to those lurking in the Eastern Sea. In the south, great trees bent their branches, creating the citadel of Constillion, and in the west, the fortress Salamandastron sat alone on the seashore in fiery resistance to malevolent intent. Centering it all, the Seasons constructed a mighty castle of unparalleled size and strength and named it Kotir- the beginning home and safe house for the Badger Lords' progeny placed where they originated from in the Midlands.

But the Seasons were cunning as well- they knew the Fates had the power to end the lives of its champions, and so, before the Badger Lords begun to fulfill their purpose, the Seasons tricked their fellow deity into a truce: They would no longer interfere with the life lines as long as the Fates did not prematurely end a life either- that they would let the thread run to the end of the spool and the Seasons would weave the method of death, as they had always done. The Fates agreed, for they did not suspect the Seasons of deception. Apparently, the turn of phrase, "Blinded by the light," describes the Fates ignorance in this case.

With the deal struck, the Badger Lords' investiture began, giving aid and refuge to any who flocked to their seats. In many cases, the Badger Lords engaged the vermin in battle, slaying them in combat and giving the Seasons reason to scorch the threads of its enemies. The woodlanders rejoiced in their newfound protectors as the vermin were pushed back into caves and shaded forests. Slowly, vermin started to lose faith in their worshipped deity as they scratched a living off rocks and resorted to the ingesting of meats, not just fish and sea life as was common for all creatures, but birds and sometimes, each other, for survival. But this did not anger the Fates nearly as much as when vermin started to question the Fates' power- the Seasons had placed a hallowed race on the land, why not could the Fates; something that would protect them in times of need and trouble, as the Badger Lords were doing for the woodlanders?

The Fates answered the call of the vermin; and while the Seasons were busy overseeing another battle on the lands below their lofted stronghold, the Fates' plotted and spun threads not into a spool, but into the shape of a ladder. It could not bend a living beast to its will, but the Fates could use another, one whom had already lived, to do its bidding, to continue the dark purpose it was cut short from completing. The Fates waited until the sun and moon overlapped- when the realms of light and dark mingled and it could open the posterns of Hellsgates and pull forth Kohle once more. The Fates breathed air back into his lungs, but they were damaged from his confinement in Hellsgates and wheezed when he took breath. It cloaked him in black to shade him from the Seasons' gaze, marrying him with the colours of the shadows and dark places. But Kohle was small, he had no great strength like the badgers, or viciousness like the wildcats. He would not be a great warrior to command armies, but instead, he would be eyes to instruct them.

The third and final gift the Fates gave Kohle was the gift of foresight. He could foresee the colours of the thread behind the gates, he could foresee the Arras weaved by the Seasons; he could foresee what could be and in that he could warn vermin against the dangers of the next dawn. With the vermin counselled against the Seasons' might, they could retaliate, they could fight back. But to gain such knowledge, Kohle needed the Fates help- a shield for his third eye to look upon the sun- and to achieve their attention, blood was its chosen form payment to which he agreed.

The Fates named Kohle a Ruspic- a soothsayer, an oracle giver, a beast to be feared. He was neither truly living nor wholly dead, but a shadow of a life that had once been. He left no marks on the land he trod and he was able to slip though objects of substance like too much black ink upon a sheet parchment. Down the ladder the pine marten descended, down to the land to slink in the shadows and thwart the Seasons' plan. Down to those who would listen, to those who thirsted for revenge. How the Badger Lords responded to the Ruspic's coming is written throughout history and a different story to tell.

It is said they are dangerous creatures, but not without weakness- all things are counterable, no beast truly unstoppable. Common creatures use the adage, 'fight fire with fire;" but fire cannot consume its own ilk. Adding more fire to a blaze will only make it stronger- but water, water washes away the flames, quills the fire and eventually ceases it to exist.

The warning, "welcome the dark, beware of the light," can also be related to this allusion. When the fire is out, when the threat is gone, darkness is a welcomed peace indeed.

* * *

**So, how did I do? Is it believable as a set of beliefs? Do things such as the Ruspic in _The Red Prince_ make more sense now?**


	11. Regret

**Thanks to the reviewers of the last segment: Thomas the Traveler, Shadowed One 19, koryandrs and Saraa Luna. :)**

**This is a mixture of about four different mini chapters and a deleted scene from _The Red Prince_ so if it seems a little jumbled it is. I was trying to capture regret, despair and angst with my writing here, so let me know how I do. Yes, Matthias falls a bit from his logical character, but in my experience, people kind of pinball quite a bit when they are overloaded with emotions...**

* * *

**Regret**  
_His Royal Majesty, King Matthias of Eutrusia  
Part III_

_"__There was a long hard time when I kept far from me the remembrance of what I had thrown away when I was quite ignorant of its worth."  
_- Charles Dickens, _Great Expectations –_

* * *

When they first told me he was gone, I didn't believe them. I think I even snorted in disgust at such a horrible joke as to be told my son, my only son and heir, had vanished. But the servant continued to gawk at me, pale and fidgety, squeezing his clawtips in angst, his eyes wide as shields. Slowly, the truth crept its way into my recognition and the blood chilled in my veins. With painful gradualness I rose from my bureau, my paws frozen on the desktop as I leaned over my documents.

"What do you mean, Martin's _vanished,"_ I said with a cool evenness.

"Just what I said, sire," the vole replied. "His pawbeasts went to rise him up this morning after his absence was noted on the Tilt Grounds and they found his chamber deserted. We've searched everywhere, but-" he paused for a moment for either strength to be blunt or to fumble about his vocabulary for the right words, "-but the Etifedd's gone."

"Gone!" I roared and swatted the contents of my study so paper, quills and scrolls exploded about the space between us like dry sand gusted up from the beach. "How can he be _gone?"_

The fool started to bumble out some sort of response I didn't wait for. Striding out of my private study and into the main room of my chamber, I snatched up my mantle from the chair and pulled it on before yanking the doors open by the latches myself. The footbeasts jumped back in a start, muttering their apologies for not hearing my call, but I ignored them and stormed to the bannister overlooking the Presence Chamber below.

"Martin!" I yelled and focused my eyes on the entrance to his chamber. Two breaths I took waiting for that door to open so he could pop his head out and give me some sort of look of adolescent nonchalantness; but nothing came.

"Martin!" I shouted again, shuffling down the bannister towards the stairs. "Martin!"

I looked to the archway leading to the solar- nothing; the corridor to Valina's private garden- nothing. My eyes snapped to the exits- south to the main bulk of the palace, east to the Tilt Grounds- still nothing. No call back, no response- just silence. No blue eyes rolled at my obvious fear, no casual wave-offs with his paw- no motion came at all. Even the servants ceased to move as I descended the stairs to further my inspection.

"Martin!" I continued to bellow; each step bringing me more dread and pitching my voice with high tones of panic. "Martin, Martin! _Mar-tin!"_

I leapt off the last pawful of steps and ran across the marble flooring to his chamber where I skidded to a stop at the entrance.

"Your Majesty," my son's head pawbeast, Tipper, greeted me with a quick bow and a worried stare. "Sire, we've searched-"

"Get out of my way!" I commanded and shoved my way past him into my son's room. Light flooded the chamber from the windows and balcony, the soft ocean breeze fluttering in the open terrace and perfuming the air with scents of the sea, but it was certain things that caught my eye.

The bed was unslept; the gilded chest at the end opened and rummaged through. His red capes were hanging neatly on their hooks in his dressing room, as were all his fine shirts and rich over clothes. On the sideboard, his state collar and vambraces were tossed casually on the polished top; his jewelled sword balanced on their hooks above the fire's mantle. Yet, his training clothes were gone- his sword belt and dagger with them. I didn't see his grandfather's sword anywhere, but what drew the most of my attention was the sight of his Etifedd's coronet centering his desk with a wax cutter crossed over a tightly rolled scroll.

I don't think I walked, or ran, or even stumbled over to it; I believe I floated- floated over to the desk to stare down at the rose-gold coronet resting on top of a plain white page. Black writing etched the purity of the parchment, a simple message written clean and strong.

_For the knowledge I have come to know, may it be put to right.  
For the bravery I have learned, may my valour show my might.  
For the love of my kingdom, may no rocks fall from a spire.  
For the duty to my family, may my courage save our empire._

"No," I breathed and sunk into the chair behind me. "No, Martin, no."

His words thundered through my veins and into my mind. I rub a paw over my features as if to wipe them from their reality. Knowledge. Bravery. Love. Duty. Duty…

_"__Get up and try it again!" I shouted and kicked sod at the exhausted mouse where he knelt on the Tilt Grounds. "Again, Martin- attack."_

_ "__Da, I'm tired- I've been training all day…" he huffed, digging his sword into the soaking ground to heave himself onto his footpaws. Blowing water droplets from his nose, he pleaded, "I'll try again tomorrow. I've only been training for a season, Da. Maybe I just haven't been pushed hard enough…"_

_I gave an undignified snort. "You're being pushed hard now."_

_ "__I just…" he stammered and flapped his paws against his sides. "Maybe I'll show bloodwrath tomorrow, I…"_

_ "__Oh, and I suppose the enemy will wait to strike because you are too tired to show your red mists?" The sarcasm in my voice rang through the deluge. "Now, Martin- you will push yourself now."_

_ "__I can-"_

_ "__-Don't finish that phrase," I growled and lashed my own blade at him to force him into combat again. He countered my thrust with a parry, but I struck down hard and he bent a knee under the weight of the strike. "Get up, Martin!"_

_He didn't move and I grabbed him by the collar, soaked with more sweat than rain, and hauled his sixteen season old frame to its feet. "Don't you ever bend a knee again, do you hear me?" I sneered into his face. "Not ever, do you understand?"_

_ "__Da, I c-…"_

_ "__You can and you will!" I snapped, shoving him away from me. "Prove to me you are something to be proud of as your brother might have been!"_

_ "__I'm not my brother!" he yelled at me, his eyes wide with the pain of our fresh loss. "Da, I'm not my brother. I'm not any of my brothers."_

_ "__No." Hurt and pain bubbled to the surface of my being and took control of my tongue. "No, you're not." I should have stopped there, but I didn't have the ability to rein in my words. "And if I had not been wasting my time with you _waiting_ to push yourself, I would have been there to help your mother down those stairs. She wouldn't have fallen and gone into labour- she wouldn't have landed on her stomach… she wouldn't have… it's because of you my son is dead!"_

_His nose and mouth scrunched together in attempt to ward off tears. Still, I pressed my point. "I came to the Tilt Grounds to watch you and she got it into her head that she should be there as well." He winced. "Oh yes, proud mother she was, coming to see her son become the mouse he was supposed to be… and what a disappointment. She sacrificed the life of our unborn child to see you what? Say you're tired? That you've trained all day and that's enough? That you… _can't?"

_ "__M-mama was full term," he argued. "She even said herself she could have the mouseling at any time…"_

_ "__Yes, but one without its head smashed in from the corner of a step!" I rallied and pointed the blade at my heir. "Pick up your blade, O Mighty Warrior, and prove you are worth your future duty; prove to me you are worth my son's life…" _

I squeezed my eyes together and forced the vision of his sorrowful face from my memory. I had been so wrong to blame him, but I was still hurting from the tragic birth two days prior to our argument and needed to blame somebeast, any beast for the ill-fortune pressed upon my family… again. Unfortunately for my son, he took the brunt of my wrath until Valina had stormed out onto the grounds and forced us to stop. Even in front of her, I cursed him and she cursed at me. It was the first fight I ever had with her and we shouted at each other in the rain for half a bell until she fainted from overexertion and I carried her back to our chamber. Martin, I had been told, stood alone on the grounds for another two bells before Donovan and Loukin brought him inside the palace.

After that, we barely spoke and he became to me what I had been to my father; just the next in line without any warmth or displays of fatherly affection. I spoke, he responded. I gave an order, he did as he was told. Nevermore was I his _Da_, but simply his _Lord Father_. We were as distant as we could be and though I regretted my hurtful words, my pride would not allow me to take them back. Besides, he would never have forgiven me anyways. I would never have forgiven me. And now, just as I thought we may be growing close again, I could never even try to say I was sorry.

"Why did you do this?" I whispered into the emptiness of his chamber. "Great Seasons, tell me you didn't run away…"

I heard the patter of running footpaws and Valina burst through the doorway as I looked up.

"Matthias?" she gasped, holding her stomach against her heaving breaths. "Matthias- they say Martin has… that he's gone!"

I inhaled slowly, the air quivering in my throat. She took another step towards me and started at the sight of Martin's coronet before me on the bureau. Instantly, her paws begun wringing themselves and her lower jaw trembled.

"N-n-no," she stammered. "That's Martin's coronet- he's supposed to have that with him always… I know he hates wearing it, but, but…" Her paws flew to her mouth and she bolted to the washstand to vomit into a basin. I jumped to my paws and trotted over to her, rubbing her back as her retches turned into sobs. "My baby," she whimpered. "Matthias, where is our Martin?"

She had said those words before; given me that look before. I stepped back and discarded my long mantle onto the rack and dropped to my paws and knees.

"He's here somewhere," I grumbled and crawled about the floor looking under things. "He's just hiding… I'll find him Vali- like I did before, remember? Remember when he first learned to crawl and I didn't watch him close enough and he hid behind that tapestry… it took us an hour, but I found him… I-" Memories of blurred my vision again…

_"__Martin!" I screamed and tore the blankets from off the settle. "Martin- where are you?"_

_ "__Martin," Valina's voice was softer, but shook with as fear as mine did. "Come on out, Martin- where are you little one?"_

_I was frantic. One moment, just one moment, I took my eyes off him and he was gone. He was sitting in front of me on the hearth rug playing with his toys and I was reading a missive from the Clawling Isles… I got up to get a writing tablet to respond and when I returned, he was gone. Just gone. Valina came in from the bathing room dressed in nothing but a robe when I started calling for him and I swear she was never going to leave me alone with him again… if there ever was going to be an again, again._

_ "__Guards!" I cried. "Guards!" Two hedgehogs thundered into my private chamber and gave me a baffled look as I dug through the pillows of a lounge. "The prince is missing! Lock every door, gate and window… search the entire palace- order ever beast to look for him, _now!"

_ "__Yes, sire!" they replied and dashed out the doorway._

_ "__Is he in your study?" Valina asked as she ducked down to look under a sideboard. "Are you sure no other beast came in here?"_

_ "__I'm positive!" I was yelled despite myself. "No beast was here- it was just him and I… he was playing… Gates, I didn't even leave the room, I…"_

_A giggle snorted and I froze. I didn't even draw breath. I wanted time to stand still. Valina patted the air between us with her paws in silent command of my stillness and she bent her head down to look about the floor._

_ "__Oh, Martin…" she said with fake playfulness husking her tone. "Where's the little princeling?"_

_A loud bolt of laughter echoed our room and I closed my eyes in prayer. He was there. Somewhere. I just had to find the little demon._

_ "__Marty?" I murmured- another snicker sounded behind me. "Oh, Marty, where are you?"_

_ "__Peek-a?" Valina simpered and dashed to look under our bed. "Boo?"_

_The laughter rattled again and I twisted round to look at the tapestry ripple on the wall. "Peek-a?" I called and the fabric moved again. I took cautious steps towards it… "Pe-ek-aaaa…" I pulled back the arras. "Booo!" Relief rushed out of me as I looked down at a chubby little mouselet grinning and clapping his paws merrily at the game._

_ "__Martin!" I breathed and picked him up into my paws. "Martin, don't you ever do that again, do you hear me? Not ever!"_

_ "__Oh, you naughty little princeling!" Valina scolded and scooped him away from me. "Giving your father and me heart pains… wait- I thought you said he was with you by the fire?"_

_ "__He was," I said firmly and pointed to the toys still on the rug. "We were… but how did he get here?"_

_ "__Did he fly?" Valina jested with me and settled both of them down on the plush carpet again while I went to tell the guards to call off the search. When I returned, my wife was smiling wide-eyed at the little mouse before her, his tail pointed up in the air as he rocked back and forth on his paws and knees._

_ "__Matthias," she gaped. "Matthias, I think he taught himself how to crawl!"_

_ "__He's too young for that they said," I reasoned, "He's…" but just as I spoke he slapped his left paw and knee forward like a marionette. Then his right, then his left again. Valina laughed and clapped her paws and I- I fell to my stomach and stretched out my paws to him._

_ "__Come on, Marty, you can do it," I encouraged him, opening and closing my fingers to the sturdy mouselet grinning at me. "Come to me- come on, son. You can do it…"_

_Determination flashed across his features and I felt my heart swell with pride as he crawled his way into my paws._

_ "__That's my son!" I cried and scooped him up in my arms. Rolling onto my back, I held him aloft and smiled brightly into his jovial face. "That's my Martin!"_

_ "__Da!" he squeaked and I almost dropped him in astonishment. He held his paws down to me and smiled. "Da!"_

_I blinked at the sound of a word burbling from his mouth. My son spoke his first word._

_Valina's voice confirmed my finding. "Matthias, Martin's talking!"_

_ "__Da," Martin cooed, rolling his tongue happily at the sound of his own voice. "Da. Da, Da, Da…"_

_I sat up and cuddled him to my chest, tears of pride misting my eyes. "That's right, Marty," I whispered. "I'm your Da. Now and for always… I will always be your Da…" _

"Matthias, he's not going to be under a chair." The sound of Valina's voice brought me out of another painful memory and I sighed at my ridiculous actions. Rising up into a kneel, I gave her a pitiful look and she shook her head at me. "Martin won't fit under a chair anymore, Matthias- he's a full grown mouse now…"

_A full grown mouse, _I pondered and looked back at his careful arrangement of the scroll and knife on his desk. I made him a full grown mouse the day he turned a year old. At four seasons old, I made my son an Etifedd and bound his life to our kingdom… to our empire.

_I took the golden scroll from the red velvet cushion and placed it in his left paw. _

_ "__Macec's Scroll," I said loudly to the glittering assembly and folded the arm over his chest. "For the knowledge you will gain; for the knowledge you will come to know, through right and not distain. Uphold the creed of distant days; our laws, our customs, our kingdom- let knowledge lead your way…"_

_He gave a slight nod and I retrieved the golden dagger. My budding warrior grinned at the symbolism._

_ "__Marcena's sword," I continued. Placing it in his right paw, I crossed the final object across his body to embody the insignia of our kingdom. "This is for your bravery, your courage and your honour; lead Eutrusia with your valour, even in her gravest hour…"_

_I picked up the rose-gold coronet and he knelt before me so I could hover the emblem of his new station above his head. Pride filled my words as I spoke. "I, Matthias Leon Connor Mecare, King of Eutrusia and Overlord of the Western Seas, hereby proclaim you, Martin Meeses Einarr Mecare, Prince of Eutrusia, my heir." I placed the coronet on his head and took a step back, my arm stretched wide. "From this day henceforth let you be acknowledged as the Etifedd of Eutrusia, her prince next king." He rose to his footpaws and I was never prouder of my son. "Behold, Prince Martin Etifedd!" I declared and held my arms aloft as every beast called to the ceiling of the Gallery. "Long live the Etifedd!" _

"He can't be gone," I muttered and slipped down onto my bottom. "Martin would have never left Eutrusia. This is his home. This is his kingdom. His family. His future…"

But that's what he was doing- ensuring his home, his kingdom and his family _had_ a future…

By that time, Valina had found his note and was wiping tears away from her cheeks with the backs of her paws. "How…" she started and there was a slight knock on the door. We both turned to see Malina standing in the archway, holding the frame in attempt to keep herself upright. Her eyes were red and puffy from tears.

"Tipper says Martin is g-g-gone," she stuttered once she had our attention. "I h-heard Lieutenant C-Condor or-organiz-zing a search pa-party…"

I nodded and she bit her lip in acknowledgement. Her paw went to her right wrist and she started twisting her claws around it in tight circles like she was missing something.

"He must have left in the middle of the night," my queen stated, trying to use reason and logic I could not. "No ships would have sailed in that weather- he must still be somewhere in Eutrusia…"

"I've lost my son," I mumbled and got up to glance around the room. Memories of him were everywhere and I remembered every detail to every occurrence between us. The time I gave him his little toy ship as a gift. Reading him stories of our ancestors' great deeds. Playing pirates with him on the bed dressed up to look like a ship. Teaching him languages, discussing philosophy, sparring, debating, laughing, arguing… Sitting up with him when he was ill, staying with him during storms… Storms. I looked at Valina.

"I failed him," I said painfully. "I promised him I would never let the storms take him away from us; that I would always keep him safe."

I walked over to the desk and picked up the coronet in my paws to clutch it to my chest. "All these seasons I was able to keep him safe, all these seasons, but…" I paused my speech to hug my possession tighter. "The Fates still won. They took my son away."

I was usually stronger. I usually would have acted with tact and decisiveness, but never before had my heart been wrenched from my body and left me an empty shell. I felt… I felt nothing but loneliness. I walk past Valina and onto the balcony to be alone. I could hear her questioning Malina, but my princess' shock would not allow her to make coherent answers.

"I've lost my son," I said soft as a feather on the breeze. "My son is gone."


	12. Realization

**I swear sometimes I only like to write the heartbreaking stuff... :s**

**Anyways, it's not a brilliant piece, but I thought I'd post it anyway- mainly because I don't want to delete it altogether- and it kinda goes with the previous chapter. If nothing else take out the similarities between Valina and Martin here.**

**So, thanks to Thomas the Traveler for reviewing the last segment in this series of side stories. :)**

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**Realization**  
_Her Royal Majesty, Queen Valina of Eutrusia_

_"__May there always be angels to watch over you  
To guide you each step of the way  
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm  
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay"  
- _"Sleepsong" by Secret Garden -

* * *

It didn't make sense, but once I watched Matthias storm back in from the balcony bellowing orders and Malina was safely in the arms of her pawmaids, I picked up my gown skirts and ran down the hallways of the palace. Through the south corridor I flew, knocking trays from servants' paws, shoving footbeasts out of my way at doors; ignoring the shouts and calls from the guards, or the sound of the paws clamouring behind me. If I was crying I didn't know it. My flight would have dried any tears to escape my eyes.

Down into the Grand Gallery I sped, pausing in the vast hall to catch my breath.

"Your Majesty?" a hedgehog gasped at my wild appearance. "Your Majesty, you shouldn't be without any guards- not when there's a thief about the palace."

I gaped at the dazed beast. There was no thief- my son was missing! Is that what he thought all the fuss was about, a _thief!_

"Here, Majesty," he said in a kind tone and gestured for me to return to the royal apartments. "I'll escort you so you're not alone…"

"What do you mean there's a thief?" I demanded. His head popped back and he blinked four consecutive times at my tone. It was short and harsh, more so because I was not known to take that tenor with servants, or any beast for that matter. "There is no thief."

"Begging your pardon, Majesty, put there is," he countered boldly and looked back over his shoulder. "And not a tidy on at that."

Now, it was my turn to blink like a fool. My eyes followed his gaze and my paw flew to my mouth at the threads hanging loosely from the torn tapestry. In the place that had been my son's depiction, an empty wall stared back at me. He should have been beside his father as a fearsome looking warrior clad in battle armour with a great sword and shield, but he was- he was gone. The line was quite literally, and figuratively, severed.

"Martin," I gulped out as the guards thundered into the Gallery behind me. "No, my Martin, no."

"Your Majesty?" the hog questioned and gave me a look of concern now tears were streaming down my cheeks again and I was quaking from loss. "Is something the-"

I didn't wait for him to finish the sentence. A guard moved forward to me and offered me his cloak, but I bolted like a frightened bird across the polished marble and to the stairs leading to the courtyard. At the apex I felt the warm sun on my face, the briny air tickling my cheeks. I closed my eyes and saw legions upon legions of creatures filed into squadrons and platoons dressed for battle; again I was only eighteen seasons old and farewelling the entire might of Eutrusia's Royal Guard as my first official act as the country's queen. I could see my father at the base of the stairs, a furious look on his face and his battle cloak flapping in the breeze. I could feel the dowager queen's eyes burning a hole through my head, silently demanding I hold my countenance together and not weep or make a fuss like the _commoner_ I was. I could hear the bay horns blowing, the Sooty Terns squawking and flapping their giant wings to prepare for flight. I could taste fear in my mouth as I ground my teeth and forced myself to swallow, to breathe; to do any bodily function I could to appear _regal._ But most of all, when I held out my paw, I could feel the cold steel of his breastplate and his heart hammering against it in his own silent fear of battle.

_"__Farewell, my queen," Matthias whispered to me and cupped my paws to his chest. "Keep yourself safe and remember who you are- you are my wife and _Eutrusia's Queen."

_I nodded, unable to use my words. This was all my fault… he was going to battle for me. All of these creatures' lives were hanging in the balance, simply because of me and my low birth. Had Matthias not just discarded me once he became king- as Baron Neron had suggested in a carefully worded letter giving council to my husband about the 'whispers' circulating his state... I told him I would still be his- that I still loved him and I didn't care about a fancy title if it meant the country would go to war… That I was not worth a rebellion, but he had stopped me, kissed me and held me tight. He said I was and laid a paw on my slightly rounding stomach. He said both of us were._

_I laid my head on his chest and winced as a pin holding my crown in place dug into my skull. It was a small pain, one I could bear if only to be close to him. He would, after all, suffer much more hurt for me._

_The horns blew again and the standards were raised. Great streams of red ribboned the air until you could barely see the blue of the sky above us. Around us the guards starting clanking their spears to their shields, stomping their footpaws on the ground; rallying their fear away to the drumming of crazed adrenaline. _

_ "__I have to go now, Valina," Matthias muttered and kissed my paws. Again I nodded, and smiled when he laid a palm on my gown bodice and his mother gasped and tut-tutted at the informal display of affection. He didn't even spare her a glare- his eyes were solely focused on me. "I have to go, but I will be back. We will end this and come back to you-"_

_ "__Is there no other way?" I murmured. "The idea of any of you hurt…"_

_ "__Be strong, Vali," he said in a strong mustered up from the pit of his stomach. "You have to be strong, for yourself, for me, for our kingdom," he paused and dropped to his knees and kissed my stomach. "And most of all, for him..."_

"Your Majesty, come back!" a Guard shout, awakening me from my dream-like vision and I snatched up my skirts and descended the stairs. Halfway down, I looked up at the main gate, the portcullis rising…

_"__Martin!" I yelled as I ran down the steps with my pawmaids in my wake as Matthias strode under the archway with our son's limp body cradled in his arms. "Matthias! Matthias, what happened?"_

_ "__He fell from the watchtower at Saelmere Keep," he blurted out, his features strained and gaunt. "I turned my back for a moment and he was gone and up the side of the tower! A horn blew and startled him, he… he fell. He's breathing, but… I don't know- they caught him in a net but he must have hit his head…"_

_I gathered my son's nine season old body from his father and cuddled him close. Matthias was right; Martin was still breathing and warm. He was alive. I rocked him and hummed his lullaby, all the while refusing tears to come to my eyes. Matthias was under enough stress without seeing me fearful._

_ "__Mama?" a tiny voice breathed against my shoulder and my heart started beating again. "Da?"_

_ "__Shh, Martin, it's alright," I sniffled. "We're both here."_

_ "__Mama, I- ouch!" he grimaced and clutched at his left forearm._

_ "__Mind his arm," Matthias warned me and pressed himself up against us, "they think it's broken..." _

I didn't stop at the gates like they called me to. I didn't even slow my pace as I entered the busy streets of Aurelius or try to hide my identity as beasts gawked at me running like a vigilante down the alleys away from my palace and to the one creature I could think of that could help me. The only creature I knew could protect anybeast from anything. I ran to the cemetery. I ran to my father.

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It was always hard for me to visit the graves of the parents I loved so much. Many times over the seasons I had come to pay my respects, sometimes alone, but usually Martin came with me. I had always been taught time heals the pain of death, but it never did for me and in a way I didn't mind; it meant I still carried them with me- that I had not yet forgotten them.

They were simple burial sites. Not crude as some of the lower beasts' were with their wooden markers, or soldiers with no family that had their swords thrust into the ground purely to mark out their resting place to the mortician moles; but they were not laid in a grand crypt house like my children rested in golden cists waiting for me to join them. No, my parents were placed under a tree, a willow tree, on a low platform. My mother lay in a stone coffin sealed with reams of silver- the very best my father could afford her and my father, well, I had a little more disposable income at the time of his demise. My father was laid to rest in a marble with bronze details and two bright rubies as his effigy's eyes. Many a beast scoffed at me for insisting on the gems, but I told them the creatures of Aurelius had too much respect for my late father than to rob his grave. And I was right. Sixteen seasons later, both jewels were still in place.

"Father?" I whispered on the wind as it fluttered towards them. I waited, as I always did, until he called me. The leaves rustled on the breeze and the bows of the trees creaked. I nodded and came forward to him.

"Father, Martin's gone," I sobbed despite my attempt to say strong. I knelt down before the exposed tombs, my muddy dressed fanned out around me. "He left- we can't find him… he…" I stopped as the tree swished back and I felt a soft branch brush my shoulder. "I don't know where he's gone or why he's left…"

_"__The astrologers gave Matthias his name this morning," I said quietly as I placed the sleeping mouseling in my father's strong paws. "His name is to be Martin."_

_My father smiled proudly and adjusted the little princeling in his arms. "Martin, eh? Wonder where they came up with that?" he chuckled and stopped himself when my son wiggled and let out a tiny protest at the restraint of his swaddling bands. "Ah, that's why- he's a fighter," he uttered._

_ "__He hates those fabric strips," I sighed and settled into my favourite chair. It wasn't often that my father was able to visit me and I was doing to take advantage of his time; and the other paws to hold my mouseling. It was odd really- I had the most skilled nursemaids in the kingdom employed to look after my son and yet, despite all their qualifications, I felt more at ease with my princeling sleeping in my father's calloused paws than I ever did when they held him._

_ "__Silly noble superstition your mother used to say," he muttered and cooed at the babe. "You never wore any swaddling bands and you grew up just fine- look even now you're sitting straight as a board!"_

_ "__Yes, but if I suggest they take them off, I get told no."_

_ "__So, do it when they ain't around." His eyes rolled at my lack of slyness. "Take them off when you're alone with him and let him kick away- he's gotta learn to use those legs if he's going to fight!"_

_ "__I don't want him to fight."_

_My father's voice changed somehow and his look shifted from the kind heart mouse I knew to the warrior I only heard stories off._

_ "__He'll fight, Valina, mark my word. It's in his blood. He's a fighter, a protector, a warrior. When we are called to duty, we must answer the call. We go where we're needed- we won't let it fall…_

_Did you know all those seasons ago?_ I thought in my mind and tipped an ear back at the sound of chinking chainmail echoing through the rows of graves. _ Did you know he would leave to fight?_

The tree's fingery branches blew in the growing breeze, blowing towards the east. I followed their motion and my eyes met that of Matthias' standing still as a statue on the other side of my natural fortress.

"Valina?" he said softly and ducked under the wispy limbs, holding up his paw so our bodyguards did not follow him in. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "I- I just needed to talk to my father."

"I need you back at the palace," he stressed. "Admiral Daelahn sent me as message- I'm needed at the docks straight away. The storm as wrecked a good portion of the ships, one even broke its anchor chain and is now capsized on a few fishing store huts-"

"Yes," I exhaled slowly and got to my paws. "What is being done about Martin?"

"Every beast is looking for him," my husband said firmly. His initial shock had subsided and was replaced by a stern look and determined speech. "He can't have gone far. We will find him- you'll see."

I dipped my head in acknowledgement and accepted his paw to help me rise. "I'm sorry, I ran, Matthias, but I knew not else what to do. I had to do something."

"And running like a madbeast to your parents' grave was doing something?" It was clear he was not impressed by my erratic actions- as heartfelt as they had been.

"It was something," I said. "I won't sit back and let trouble come to me, Matthias. I'm an Einarr, remember? We _do_ things. Our actions speak louder than words."

"That they do," he agreed and led me from through the leafy walls of my seclusion. "But which actions will you be remember for are the ones who speak volumes about your character."

Always my Matthias, he debated with logic. He could never understand, could never think, with his heart. His mind always overpowered such notions emotional feats. I stopped in my tracks at the realization and blanched.

"Vali?" His voice was full of concern. "What's wrong?"

I looked back to the effigy's, back to my father holding his battle blade on his chest.

_"__This sword was meant for your paw, little Martin," my father rasped out with his last breaths as he clutched my son's tiny paws over the handle. "It will protect you when I cannot and ensure you protect others when they cannot protect themselves. It becomes part of us- it becomes part of your heart. Keep this blade by your side always and you will be ready to act when the time is right. Sometimes we have to go far away to protect those we love most…"_

"Matthias, where is Martin's broadsword?"

"Gone. Missing, just like him."

"Count the ships," I said with surprising calmness. "Count the ships, Matthias- Martin's gone from Eutrusia. He's gone far away to protect us."

He just gaped at me, blinking at the painful realization that I already recognized.

"How would you know that, Valina?"

"I told you before- a mother always knows when a beast is between her and her child." I continued to watch the wind whisking the willow's branches on the gusts of sea air.

_Protect him, Father,_ I thought in my mind. _Protect him now we cannot._

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